Of Mirrors And Marionettes
by ForPony39
Summary: AU. Forced together once more, Emma and Hook must put the past behind them to go on a journey more dangerous than the last and filled with infinitely more possibility - Empires could fall, hearts could mend or break, and age old scores could be settled; the stakes are so much higher with love and lives on the line. Sequel to The Daring And The Devious (must read first. ) Slow burn
1. Chapter 1

**My brain has informed me that it does not want to take a break, via refusing to leave me alone. So here I am, apparently off my break, lol. If you're just joining us you should know that reading part 1 (Daring And The Devious) is kind of required if you want to understand what's going on. Not promising updates every week but will do my best. Now I'm going to be upfront, I have a few goals - I want to make you laugh, I want to make you cry, I want to tell a hell of a story and yes - I do want to drown you in feels. **

**You have been warned. Enjoy! :D**

**...**

The Jolly Roger cut through the waves of the early morning, sun already hot and baring down mercilessly on those the ship carried on her back. The ship was scorched and parts of her bore gouges from battle but it was nothing the ship couldn't handle. However it was a mark of the rough ride she'd been through the night before. Captain Hook stood at the helm, staring out at the edge of the world with a grim, self satisfied smile. He'd sailed a whole week to run a dead mans errand, raiding ships on the royal waterway of the Evil Queen was not a venture one often survived; and if they did it wasn't a terribly long life. Though Regina already very much wanted him dead, so really the temptation to steal her most recent prize was not an opportunity he could turn down.

"Mr. Smee" Hook yelled to the red capped figure moving through the ranks of men, working to fix his boat.

"Bring up our hard won prize from below deck will you?" he ordered when Smee caught his eye. He nodded to Hook, grabbing another man to help him carry out the order. Soon there was a struggling man, hands secured behind his back and a bag still fix over his head brought before him, being forced to his knees. _Besides_ Hook thought, _what could possibly be a sweeter revenge than stealing Regina__'__s hard won leverage for my own? _Smee ripped the burlap sack from Graham's head, leaving him to blink desperately to adjust his eyes in the bright light of morning.

"The not so elusive contact," Killian began as he watched him try to make out exactly who was speaking to him.

"Would you mind terribly if I call you Graham?"

"Hook?" he said it like he was the last person he was expecting to see.

"Oh good you remember me, always nice to leave an impression." Hook smiled, it wasn't exactly the friendliest expression. Graham looked around like he was searching for a different face.

"Where's Emma?" he demanded coldly, eyes spearing him angrily.

"You look healthy enough," Hook observed, ignoring his question "and just as demanding as the last time we met too. 'Where's Emma' in your most commanding voice." Hook mocked.

"Chills - really."

"If you've hurt her-" Graham began murderously; Smee grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked his head back before he could finish, pressing the tip of a dagger to his exposed throat to silence him.

"Yes? Go on," Hook taunted in the resulting abrupt silence, daring him to continue.

"Don't be afraid to, you know, get creative." he did so tire of the same old boring threats fools seemed to casually make to anyone and never carry out. Graham hesitated, swallowed once and apparently decided to go for broke - finishing his threat quietly.

"If you've hurt her I'll rip your backbone out your throat, than you can be spineless on every level."

Smee gave his head another sharp yank by his hair and pressed the dagger a little harder into his flesh.

"Not very appreciative to his rescuers is he Mr. Smee?" Killian remarked lightly, unfazed by the insult.

"Would you like me to teach him some manners Captain?" Smee asked, but Hook waved the offer off.

"I doubt they'd take Mr. Smee" he said, directing his sneer at Graham. He walked a few steps forward before crouching in front of his prisoner so they were on the same eye level. He gave Smee a quick nod and he released his hold on Graham's hair, withdrawing the knife.

"If it hadn't been for me you'd be in front of the Evil Queen today. I assure you, she would have had a whole manner of unpleasant fates to bestow on you," he leaned forward a little as he said the next in almost jovial tone.

"And trust me, she'd get to every single one of them before she eventually disposed of you. I am a somewhat kinder host - if you don't give me trouble." Hook told him, the implications clear.

"So let me tell you how it works on my ship - I give orders and you follow them, I ask questions and you answer them."

Graham stared him defiantly in the eye and said nothing, he stood and walked back to the helm casually as he spoke.

"So answer me this Graham - the boy" he turned back to watch his face.

Graham looked wary, as if he was very sure he knew exactly to who Hook was referring but was unsure as of why. Hook had only had time enough to grab him, he hadn't even been able to find the boy; bloody Queen's Guard all looked the same. He wasn't even entirely sure the lad had still been on the ship and his window of escape had been closing, he'd made off with what he could find. Graham had been the main acquisition, the lad being unattainable might work in his favour a little better anyways. Strangely he still found himself wishing he could have gotten them both.

"You recognized him, I saw it on your face. Was it Emma's son?" he asked. Shock seemed to engulf his entire expression at the question; Hook nodded.

"I figured." he said as if he had answered the question.

"I didn't say anything," he growled up at Hook.

"You didn't have too," Hook said turning his back to him.

"How do you know about Henry? Where is Emma?" Graham demanded.

"I thought I was clear about how things worked on my ship" Hook answered off-handedly.

"I will however answer your one question as I am ever the gracious host," he began, watching the sea flow behind his ship.

"Emma and I didn't part on the best of terms, the details are a fair bit of a bore. I don't know her whereabouts currently." Hook looked over his shoulder to Graham.

"That's where you come in."

"Even if I knew where she was I wouldn't tell you." Graham smirked unpleasantly back.

"I don't need you to tell me anything. Search him," Hook ordered.

"You see," he began as he watched Smee and his other crew member force Graham back to his feet and roughly began to loot his pockets, searching his person even as he tried to shake them off.

"I may have no idea where Swan is," he told Graham as he raised his hand into the air. Hook gave a loud sharp whistle and there was the flutter of wings and suddenly a homing bird was perched on his outstretched hand, a pouch tied to its leg.

"But my friend here does," Hook said, nodding to the bird with a smile. "And when he finds her she'll soon be heading for the same port town we are."

Smee seemed to find something at last, pulling an item off of Graham's wrist and holding it up for inspection. It was an old looking leather wrist band, of good quality, obviously hand made and tattered like he'd worn it everyday for years._ Perfect_ Hook thought.

"Well, isn't that unique?" Hook said admiringly, handing the bird over to Smee who took it and began stuffing the woven band into the pouch that already held a note.

"You make it?" Hook asked Graham conversationally, tilting his head curiously.

"She won't come." Graham said through grit teeth.

"Of course she will, you're her only friend." Hook told him, sounding certain.

"How long have you two known each other anyways?" he asked. Graham said nothing. Hook shrugged at his refusal to converse and addressed Smee instead.

"Send it and have someone take him back to the brig, see that he's comfortable." he ordered.

"Yes Captain." Smee said, waving over a passing crew member who then helped the other begin the task of taking Graham below deck.

"Don't fret Graham, I'm sure everyone will be getting what they want soon," he called out casually as his men dragged him away.

"She's going to gut you alive Hook!" he shouted back while he was carted away, fighting the whole way. Hook watched as Smee threw the bird into the air and it began its flight into the horizon.

"I've no doubt she will try." Killian said to himself.

* * *

Emma sat near the fire she'd built for the evening with a stick, prodding at the coals absently in silence, the horse she'd stolen nibbling grass at the base of the tree she'd tied it to. She'd decided to go back to Graham's and though the journey back was fraught with much less danger than usual, seeing as it was a main road, it was still proving to be one of the most… interesting. Of course it couldn't top the suicide run on the silent path she'd run with Killian -

Emma clamped down on the thought and jabbed at the fire more viciously, she was not going to think about him. _Think about something _else her mind told her. Unfortunately she had a lot to think about. She could think about how so far she'd had to ask for directions for the first time in her life, or how she was thrown way off balance by seeing people traveling all the time after making most trips in solitude. Or she could think about how she'd stolen a horse, realized she had no idea how to ride one and had to figure it out. Emma looked at the horse she'd named, well, horse - damn beast had knocked her off it's back five times.

She actually didn't want to think about that, it was kind of embarrassing. Emma sighed as she watched the flames flicker, just wishing she could blank out and not think about anything, lose her mind in the dancing flames - but her mind wouldn't let her. Emma could think about how she had briefly entertained riding to King James palace, how that was technically home. She could think about how she'd ultimately decided she couldn't because she didn't know that life - she didn't know how to be a princess or rule a kingdom. The only memory she had was of giving it all up, how she couldn't recall anything of the people who she called 'Mom and Dad.'

She could think about how Rumpelstiltskin's implication was_ tormenting_ her, especially since she hadn't seen his face to divine a lie or truth from it. Hell, Emma could even think about how she couldn't go back to the only place she'd called home for eighteen years. But she _especially _didn't want to think about any of those things. She needed to talk to Graham; Emma had no illusions of him making any of this all better but damn it she needed a friend right now.

_Graham_ Hook's voice echoed in her mind. _What kind of a name is that anyways?_

She grit her teeth and threw a log into the fire hard enough to kick embers out of the pit. _Stop thinking about him_ her mind snapped at her. Her mind went shifted to wondering about her actual friend, it had been one week and still she'd received no message from him. Kaleese should have reached him long ago and Graham would have sent his messenger bird Fina to be sure she wasn't in trouble. Emma had checked the pouch on her pack twice for her 'homing', a small bean messenger birds were trained to track to find their recipients. She still had it of course, so there was no reason Fina shouldn't be able to find her.

There was still a weeks journey a head of her and her stomach constricted to the size of a grape at the thought something may be very wrong. Emma was pulled from all of her thoughts by the sound of feet stomping through the bush. She reached to her side where a sheath hung with her brand new six inch blade (which she had, regretfully, also stolen) and brushed her fingers against it. The sound grew louder and was soon punctuated by the sound of loud boisterous voices until two short men with beards stumbled upon her, laughing as they tried to stay upright. One was holding a bottle he was just bringing to his lips.

Emma's hand tightened on her dagger; how far off the path did she have to go to get some damn peace? Her nose wrinkled as the pungent odour of alcohol touched her nose from ten feet away. By the looks of them even if they did try to attack her Emma wouldn't need her blade - she doubt she'd even have to stand to fend them off. The one on the left finally noticed her first.

"Hey look! A girl!" he slurred, pointing at her like if he didn't his friend would miss the blond who glared at them before returning to prodding her fire in annoyance.

"Well would you look at that," his friend said with a wide grin as he fixed his eyes on her.

"Hey there little lady, you all alone out here?" he asked, looking around for any companions she might be traveling with. Emma didn't shift her focus from her fire as she needlessly poked at it with her stick.

"Gentlemen, and boy do I use that term loosely, I suggest you wander back in the direction you came" she advised them coolly.

"You hear that Dopey? She called us gents!" the one on the right said to his friend, puffing his chest out. _I am 100 percent not in the mood for this_ she thought, burying her head in her hand.

"Oh my god," she muttered into her palm, than louder so they could hear she growled "Would you go away?"

"Why we'd love to stay!" the one on the left said enthusiastically, obviously mishearing her as they stumbled over to the fire.

"No, I said go - oh for fuck sakes." Emma snapped as they fell on their asses across the fire, the one almost losing his grip on his bottle. If they weren't careful one of them might breathe on the flames and ignite her.

"Mighty kind of you" the one called Dopey said with a dumb smile. She narrowed her eyes at him but he seemed to be oblivious to her annoyance.

"My name is *hic* Happy," the one on the right introduced before pointing to the empty air beside him.

"This here is Dopey."

"Over here Happy" his friend said, Happy diligently corrected the mistake by pointing to where his friend actually sat.

"Pleasure." Emma greeted in her signature dead pan.

"And you would be? …" Happy trailed off, inviting her to finish the sentence.

"Losing my patience" Emma said with false cheer. Happy gave her a puzzled look.

"Can't say I've ever heard a name like that before," he told her.

"Kinda long" Dopey added.

"We'll just call her little lady" Happy tried to whisper back, he did it so loudly Emma's horse jerked its head to look at him.

"I'm taller than both of you." Emma informed them with some irritation, they either didn't hear her or chose to ignore the comment.

"Would you like a drink little lady?" Happy asked, holding his bottle out to her.

"No. Thank you." Emma declined, trying to be semi-polite. They were drunk idiots but they were harmless drunk idiots. In a way they were actually drunk idiots trying to be nice which was all well and great, but she still wanted to be left alone. Happy shrugged at the refusal, taking a long drink before handing it off to Dopey.

"Where are you headed little lady?" Dopey asked.

"A long ways away, like you two should be" Emma answered, jabbing the fire again.

"Alongwayeway huh?" Happy said, slurring the words together.

"I think I went there once!" Dopey said excitedly "small village, nice people - drink?" he asked, offering the bottle like Happy had thirty seconds ago.

"No." Emma refused pointedly. Dopey shrugged and handed it back to Happy after a long chug.

"We're headed…" Happy trailed off, confused he looked to Dopey.

"Dopey, the hell are we headed again?" he asked.

"We, my friend, are searching for your hat," he reminded him, "we can't remember where you left it because we were both drunk when you lost it."

"Yeah, don't know if you've noticed but you're both pretty drunk right now" Emma pointed out.

"Well of course! We're getting drunk so we remember where we left it!" Dopey explained, like this was a very logical course of action. Happy laughed and put an arm around Dopey's shoulders.

"Ah, I love this guy," he told Emma with a big smile "He's funny."

He offered her the bottle again.

"Drink?"

Emma just stared at the pair of them and blinked, actually astounded by the stupidity she'd just heard.

"… Are you serious?" she couldn't help asking.

"No - I'm Happy, remember?" he told her slowly, like somehow she had forgotten during their conversation. For one second Emma very seriously considered taking the bottle, she almost needed to be drunk to not want to hit these two. Instead she took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh.

"Right, of course." she muttered. A movement caught the corner of Emma's eye a moment before her ears tweaked to the flutter of wings. She turned her head to see a messenger bird perched on her pack and her heart soared, a relived smile covering her face.

"Holy shit a bird!" Dopey exclaimed, sounding frightened by its arrival.

"Oh thank god" Emma said alternately, getting up to get the bird she assumed was Fina. When she approached however she realized it wasn't, Fina was a raven - the bird watching her with it's round black eyes was a hawk. She stopped short of her bag and stared at the it with some confusion.

"Do either one of you have a homing?" Emma asked over her shoulder.

"No we can't go home yet, we have to find his hat," Dopey explained, still warily watching the hawk with her.

"She said homing you idiot," Happy berated his friend before answering her. "Not us little lady, we don't carry a homing, Dopey here has a thing about birds."

"Don't give me crap, they are fucking scary!" Dopey said defensively.

Emma finished her approach of the hawk perched upon her pack carefully, kneeling to open the pouch on her backpack it was pecking at. It wasn't even the same pouch she kept her own homing in. When she reached inside however she as surprised to feel the familiar shape of one. Emma pulled it out to examine the small red bean further in the light of her fire. Definitely not the one her and Graham used. The hawk gently pulled at the bean between her fingers with its beak, not trying to tug it away from her but rather like it was confirming it had found the bean it was looking for. She took the bag tied to its leg and pulled the draw string keeping it closed loose. Inside was a small rolled up piece of parchment that she rolled open while Happy and Dopey conversed about the horrors of birds behind her. Emma read the simple message written there, eyes hardening.

_The Rusty Barge, Half Cove Port - Hook _

Killian? He'd slipped a homing into her pack for this? Did he honestly expect to be able to send her a message and for her to just ride out to meet him anywhere he asked after her escape? Emma nearly started laughing, if slipping a homing bean into her backpack was the best he could think of to find her she had overestimated him greatly. She was just about to send the bird away when she realized there was still something in the little bag.

"Message from your friends?" Happy asked as she reached into the bag.

"He is most definitely-" Emma froze, fingers touching braided leather. Slowly she pulled the object from the pouch and saw it was exactly what she feared it was. A woven leather band, tattered from excessive wearing. Graham had owned this for as long as she had known him. She stared at it for a long moment, hearing her own heart beat in her ears. She hadn't overestimated him, in fact she may have underestimated how unbelievably cunning this snake of a pirate really was.

"Definitely what?" Dopey asked from his place by the fire. She clenched her hand around the band so tightly her fist shook and her knuckles turned white.

"A fucking dead man," Emma answered in a hiss, getting to her feet.

"Are you leaving?" Happy asked disappointedly as he watched her collect her few things and walk over to the tree where 'Horse' was tied.

"One of you know where Half Cove Port is?" Emma asked, struggling to keep the heat of her anger from the question as she untied the reins from the tree. Happy and Dopey gave each other worried looks.

"You don't wanna go there little lady, small port filled with scumbags and pirates." Dopey warned her. Emma turned on her heel to face them and even drunk both men could not entirely ignore the violent warning in her posture.

"I'm not a little lady and I know damn well where I want to go. Now point me in the right direction." she ordered. Another drunken look of worry passed between them before they gave her the directions she would need to get to her unsavoury destination.

"How long a ride?" Emma demanded unable to keep the bark of anger from her voice.

"A day, two at the most." Dopey told her wide eyed. Emma swung up onto the horse and took hold of its reins like she'd taught herself. The hawk flew over and landed on her shoulder as if making sure she knew it was still there, wanting a return message. Emma held up her arm so the bird stepped off her shoulder and sent it on its way without any message, she was done with words.

"Enjoy the fire." she told the two men before digging her heels into her steeds sides and sending the beast galloping into the night.

* * *

_One day later…_

The Rusty Barge was a hole of a drinking tavern, the windows so caked with grime and dirt it was impossible to peer into the joint, let alone look out. Hook walked in and saw that just like he remembered the inside wasn't much to look at - dingy and dark, reeking of booze and seawater. It needed lanterns lit night and day just so you could see your cup with barely more than a few souls populating the place. The floor boards were loose under his and the handful of his accompanying crew's feet, creaking and shifting at their every step. This was a tavern for low lives, mean looking patrons and not a pretty bar wench to be seen. Hook expected nothing less of a port town so small the law didn't even bother visiting, let alone patrolling.

However he noticed the town wasn't small enough for him to not be recognized as a hush followed in the wake of his entrance. He did so love how far his reputation proceeded him he thought with a smirk. The bartender, pipe between his teeth, eyed him warily while keeping his hands busy with a dirty glass and a dirtier rag. Hook gave a curt nod to his crew and without any preamble they started to force patrons to their feet and out the door.

"The hell are you doing?" the bartender demanded gruffly.

"I'm having a private party, invite only. I'll be borrowing your establishment for a bit." Hook told him matter-of-factly as he went to sit at an empty table not far from the bar.

He met the man's glaring eyes with his own, as if daring the bartender to tell him that he couldn't do just that. The man said nothing, just grit his teeth harder on the end of his pipe.

Clearly not going to be challenged Hook turned his attention back to his crew. They had effectively cleared the place out, going now to keep guard outside the tavern to make sure no one else came in except for _her_.

"Pour me an ale would you?" Hook ordered, getting comfortable.

The bartender poured him his drink and came out from behind the bar to plop the rusty tankard in front of him. Killian flipped him a gold coin that the man snatched from the air.

"Take your leave mate," he told him, lifting the drink to his lips.

"Is it true you raided one of the Evil Queen's royal ships?" the bartender asked, making no move to head for the door. It seemed word travelled fast - even to nowhere little ports like this one.

"That it is," he answered.

"You're a dead man Hook." the bartender said with a shake of his head. Killian felt his lips curl a little with annoyance but didn't look away from his tankard.

"I suggest you don't make me ask you to leave twice" he advised the bartender from between grit teeth. The man took off without another word, picking up his pace as he neared the door and left. He pulled a metal file from his pocket and began working on the end of his hook as he mulled some thoughts over in his head. His hawk had only taken a day to deliver his message, returning that night. Since he'd already been so close to Half Cove he knew she'd be here today. He swore could almost feel her coming, like her rage proceeded her for miles.

Killian expected nothing less from her, she was the kind of lass who didn't take lightly to any ill action towards her friends. Also since Emma had all but told him she'd kill him if she ever saw him again this entire encounter was going to be anything but smooth. He continued filing his hook to pass the time, trying to guess her moves before she even arrived - he had no doubt she was doing much the same.

**...**

**Oh yeah, it's good to be back, lol. A thanks to you readers and all my reviewer's - LUV YOU GUYS SO MUCH!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ladies and gentlemen - Hell hath no fury.**

**...**

The journey to Half Cove was a blur in her mind, she rode through a night and most of a day like it was barely any time at all. It felt like barely enough time to think. Somehow she seemed to find herself on the edge of the small shipping town just as the sun started to set. She could see the harbour from here and immediately she was scanning for the Jolly Roger. She knew it wouldn't be there but she looked anyways. When she saw no sign of it as expected her eyes turned to the waters outside of the town, there she found a familiar looking ship weighing anchor off shore. Emma grit her teeth together until she felt like they were going to crack. It was the smart play of course, she'd expected nothing less of Hook - it still wasn't going to help him much. She dismounted her horse, stashed her pack in some bushes and quickly unsaddled 'Horse' before giving him a sharp smack on his hind quarters to send him off.

She would continue the rest of the way on foot.

When walking through the small town she felt like she was being eyed by every person she passed, maybe wondering if she was lost; More likely wondering if she was worth robbing. The tight, rigid stride of someone angry and looking to pick a fight seemed to be enough to convince most she was not worth the trouble. It wasn't hard to find the tavern Hook had directed her to meet him at, in fact she picked Carver out of the handful of men loitering outside the place before she read the crooked sign hanging on the building. It was like Carver felt her gaze on him and looked up in her direction to watch her approach. Emma felt the tension in them even before she stopped in front of Hook's band of pirates who kept careful eyes on her. Carver's one good eye twitched towards the knife hanging on her belt, Emma followed his gaze and made a point of letting it linger longer than his did.

"Want it?" Emma asked him soberly.

"Go ahead," she invited with a shrug, lifting her eyes and revealing a stone hard expression.

"Take it from me."

No one made a move to do so, she guessed Hook brought a handful of the smarter pirates this time round.

"He's waiting," was all Carver said, stepping out of her way.

* * *

Killian heard the door creak open and looked up from filing his hook to see Emma walk in. She stood there a second as the door closed behind her, allowing her eyes to adjust to the light and giving him a moment to take her in.

Her long blond hair had been ruffled by the wind, giving her a slightly more wild look, her deep blue eyes were just as hard as the first time he'd met her - a little hotter with her anger perhaps but beautiful all the same. She wore the same outfit he'd last seen her in, though a bit dirtier from her travels; a simple pair of brown trousers and a now semi-white shirt. He found it strangely… good to see her again. It was about then he noticed the belt she wore was sporting a new knife and was reminded that right now they were not on terribly friendly terms. Emma glanced to where he sat, eyes now adjusted to the new dimmer environment.

"Hey beautiful," Hook smiled with a raised eyebrow in greeting.

"Another Tavern, really?" she said derisively as she walked further inside. She surprised him a little by walking right past where he was sitting and instead going up to the bar, reaching behind it to grab herself a bottle of something.

"I thought it was a nice touch. I must admit, it's good to see you again," he told her as she poured herself three fingers of a clear alcohol in what must have been the cleanest glass she could find, giving the task all of her focus. She put the bottle down on the bar hard enough to shake the empty tankards behind it.

"You have until I get to the bottom of this glass to get Graham off your ship and in front of me," she told him calmly, picking the glass up and staring pointedly at the shelf of hard liquor behind the bar instead of him.

"Or I'm going to kill you." she finished simply, taking her first sip.

"How do you know he's on my ship?" he asked her coyly, casually sliding his hand down to touch the hilt of his sword hanging at his side.

"Why else would you weigh anchor off shore?" she asked "unless you knew that if you brought your ship into the harbour I wouldn't be here. I'd be going to get him."

Emma took another sip as he chuckled at the astute observation.

"Figured I'd remove the temptation," he shrugged "besides you're a touch tense, having him on hand might coil you a bit too tight for talking."

She lifted the glass as if saluting the wall.

"Here, here for cool heads," Another gulp down the hatch. She wasn't exactly giving him the most considerate time limit if she kept drinking like she was.

"If you don't slow down darling you'll get pissed out of your pretty head."

"If you don't hurry up and give an order to get him here you'll lose yours."

"Easy love, I just want to talk." Hook tried in placating tone.

"Have to say, I'm surprised you didn't bring Peter with you." she said, obviously not having any of it. Hook grimaced at the words, he had to admit it had crossed his mind once to bring the lad to further cool her head a bit, apparently she'd had the same idea.

"Crossed my mind momentarily," he said "but I don't hide behind youths for any reason."

"Well aren't you just a pillar of virtue," she remarked bitterly, taking yet another sip and swirling what was left in the glass as if to remind him of his dwindling time limit.

"As you're a delicate flower of sensibility" he replied.

"… Four days" she said, still not looking at him.

"Beg your pardon?" he asked. She stared into the bottom of the glass like it held an answer to some question she hadn't yet voiced.

"We've barely known each other for four days," she elaborated "how is it we act like we've been chess buddies for years?" she asked, taking a bigger swallow this time and coming dangerously close to emptying the glass. He wondered that too sometimes, how they seemed to so naturally understand how the other one thought, it had come in handy more than once on their first trek together. It would come in handy more if this encounter didn't go sideways.

"Same cloth" he said, her own words all he could offer as an answer.

"Times running out Hook," she warned him amiably. It was the lack of anger that was tipping him to how serious she was about this.

"We've certain matters to discuss Emma, I know you're angry-"

"You have no fucking clue how far past angry I am Hook," she interjected dangerously.

"I needed something to convince you to come," he explained, grip tightening on the hilt of his sword.

"By kidnapping my friend," she said, clarifying for them both exactly what his crime was.

"Technically the Evil Queen kidnapped him," Killian revealed "I took him from her thereby rescuing him - you're welcome." he finished sarcastically with a nod of his head.

"I don't believe you." Emma hissed, first signs of real anger she'd show since she walked in. Killian squinted at her, almost confused by the refusal to look him in the eye and use that uncanny ability to discern lies from truth at a glance.

"All you have to do is look at me and you'd know I wasn't." he said slowly. She didn't look at him however, instead she tilted her glass back and drained what little alcohol was left in the glass.

"Times up."

Emma turned and threw the glass as hard as she could at him. Hook was already up and moving out of the way, almost as soon as she'd moved herself. He saw a flash of silver and swept his hook through the air reflexively. There was a loud clang as he deflected the knife she'd thrown at his head into the opposite wall, sending it clattering to the floor.

"That wasn't very nice," Killian said, briefly releasing his hold on the hilt of his sword to shrug out of his coat and drop in on a table, he and Emma beginning to circle each other.

"I'm not a very nice person." she told him flatly.

"Neither am I," he replied, narrowing his eyes as his hand wrapped around the hilt of his sword once more.

Emma picked up a chair and swung it at him as he drew his sword, knocking it from his hand before she brought it down on him. The wood shattered from the force of impact and was still splintering to pieces that fell to the ground as Emma kicked out, catching him in the chest and knocking him into the opposite wall. He glared at her as she advanced, pushing off the wall to meet her. She took a swing but Hook knocked her arm out of the way, pivoting into her guard and driving his elbow into her stomach. The blow knocked her back a few steps, grunting in pain. When she looked to his face and he grinned at her she swore her vision went red. She ran at him recklessly but Hook was ready for it, grabbing her and using her momentum to pick her up and slam her back down on a table behind him. He snagged both of her wrists with his one hand and yanked them above her head, hook pressed menacingly into her ribs.

"Had enough?" he asked.

"Not even close."

Emma rammed her knee into his side, so hard he thought for a minute she'd cracked a rib. His grip on her wrist loosened enough for her to free her hands, allowing her to crack him in the face with her fist. He stumbled back from her and she was on her feet after him a moment later. He dodged under her next swing, grabbing her shoulder and shoving her hard so she careened into the wall. His forearm was there like a bar against her throat an instant later, pinning her to the wall with just enough pressure to make it a bit difficult to breathe. Her hands scrabbled at the arm instinctively.

"Mean little thing aren't you?" Hook remarked between grit teeth, ice blue eyes staring into the ocean depths of hers, noses almost touching.

"I think the word you're looking for is bitch." she hissed, scrabbling at his arm. He pressed it a bit more firmly into her throat to make her stop.

"Always a gentlemen my ass!" she spat in a wheeze, forced to stop pulling at him.

"I'll resume being gentlemanly when you're not trying to kill me," he said, a little tension running through his voice as he tried to keep her pinned. At that moment his nose caught the barest hint of vanilla under the alcohol on her breath.

"You smell nice by the way," he added with a strained grin; remembering being this close to her a week ago, her hand tangled in his hair, lips on his…Emma let go of his arm and tried grab him by the throat but he caught her hand and slammed it back against the wall.

"You need to calm down love," he told her, not budging an inch.

"Not really," Emma said acidly.

Her foot was suddenly wedged between them, shoving him away so he went lurching back from her. When he had his footing again he looked back to see her now tensely glancing at where the knife was and back to him, between her and the weapon. Once again she was squaring off with every intention of retrieving it. Never an easy road with Swan; if he was going to get her to hear him out apparently he would have to wear some of this rage out of her.

"Fine," he sighed in irritation, cracking his neck and rolling his shoulders as he prepared for her impending assault.

"Lets continue this the hard way then, shall we?"

* * *

It sounded like a war was going on in the Tavern. Carver listened as the sounds of things breaking and bodies hitting solid wood became increasingly louder.

"Should... should we go in?" one of the others asked uncertainly as it became impossible to ignore the battle rocking the entire joint.

"Captain said to stay out no matter what." another crew member reminded them all with a firm shake of his head. There was the sound of glasses breaking and a voice that sounded like it belonged to Emma cursing.

"Ten copper says the Captain drags her out by her hair." one pirate wagered. Another louder crash that sounded like a table breaking and Hook's voice cursing this time.

"… Fifteen that we need to help him walk back to the ship though," the pirate amended.

Not a bet Carver would take, he was half expecting they would have to drag them both out of the hole in the wall tavern. Turned out none of them had the winning prediction. The front window shattered as Hook and Emma came crashing through it, hitting the ground in a shower of glass and splinters as they rolled together on the ground. When they stopped Killian was on top of her, his hook and her blade locked in the space between them, arms trembling with the effort to keep it so. Draw.

Carver held both arms out to keep the rest of the men from going to the aid of their Captain - if he wanted their help he'd order them to do something about the insane Guide.

"Enough!" he snapped at her, looking as out of breath as she was, "You need to listen to me Swan" he growled.

"I don't _need_ to do a damn thing, give me Graham before I-" she began with a snarl.

"You can have him," he said, cutting her off. That certainly seemed to catch her off guard, surprise showing in her eyes as she was momentarily struck mute. Killian took the opportunity to speak.

"If you so desire you and I can continue this fight until one of us is dead. In the unlikely event it's me then you can go on to fight my men and if you still have it in you, swim to the ship and rescue your precious Graham. Or," he continued, very slowly letting up pressure so that his hook let her knife slip his hold, allowing her to press it against his heart. She watched him do this as if trying to see the trick in it.

"You and he can depart from this lovely little town without a fight, off into the bloody sunset and never see me again if you so wish." he said

"All you have to do is hear me out."

Emma was still as she stared up at him, tip of her knife against his chest with him above her. He meant every word, she saw it on his face - he would let her have Graham for the price of speaking with him. It seemed to good to be true but there it was, not a hint of obscurity. At the same time Emma knew he expected her _not _to walk away.

"Nothing you can say will align me with you again Hook," she told him.

"What's the harm in listening then?" he challenged with his signature quirked eyebrow. He watched her think about it for another few moments. Emma figured he must think he had one hell of a card left to play if he was so sure she wouldn't walk away with Graham.

"… I want to see him first." she said, lowering her blade back to her side. Hook grinned as he rolled off to the left, lying on the ground next to her as they both caught their breath.

"Well, that can be arranged." he said conversationally.

* * *

Hook watched her pace small laps a few feet from him as they waited on the docks, her eyes doing the same circuit it had been on since he'd lead her here: him, his approaching ship, and the handful of men staying well back from them both. On repeat.

Emma knew he kept them back to put her more at ease but it wasn't working, she was just to hyped right now. It was like after the suicide run on the silent path - too much adrenalin, not really seeing so much as searching for another attacker. Emma turned to pace another lap and was pulled up short as she found Hook there, blocking her path. That he managed to surprise her when she was trying to keep her eye on everything made her realize she was stretching herself a bit thin.

"Breathe Swan." Killian said, putting his hand on her shoulder. Those words brought her back to her safe point, his hands calming her trembling... Emma shoved his hand off of her and said nothing. He rolled his eyes like she was being childish, reaching into his pocket and pulling out something golden.

"Look there," he'd said pointing towards his ship as it headed into port, handing her his spyglass in hopes of taking her off edge.

Emma took it hesitantly from him before she followed the direction in which he pointed. For a minute all she saw was some crew members mulling about, readying the ship for the harbour. Suddenly she caught sight of a man being dragged up on deck, brown hair and a week old scruff on his face, it was Graham. She felt her heart un-clench in her chest for the first time in what felt like days, besides looking none to pleased at his detainment he seemed no worse for wear. Killian watched a tension flow out of her as she let out a breath he was fairly certain she hadn't realized she was holding. He found himself a little annoyed by how much she wound herself up over Graham.

"He better be ok." Emma said.

"I assure you he's unharmed." he'd told her, plucking the spyglass back from her hands.A few minutes later the Jolly Roger was in the port, lowering a plank to let them on board. Neither of them moved, Emma noticing belatedly that Hook was waiting for her to precede him.

"After you," she said. Killian shrugged as if it made no difference to him and went aboard, Emma close behind him.

"You see?" he said, nodding at Graham who stood with Smee and Peter holding each shoulder, his hands still secured behind his back.

"Perfectly fine." He told her as her eyes came to rest on her friend.

"Emma," Graham sounded both intensely relived to see her and incredibly worried that she'd come.

Emma knew she probably shouldn't with pirates watching even as she strode over to him to do it, but it had been a hell of a week and she couldn't seem to stop herself. Peter and Smee looked unsure how they should react to her bold approach, eyes flickering over to their Captain.

"Swan-" Killian started, worried she was going to do something foolish. She surprised everyone when she threw her arms around Graham's neck and hugged him. Smee glanced at Hook again and saw a muscle in his jaw tighten, lips drawn in a tight line as he watched her. Smee almost let his eyes show his surprise at the expression on his Captain's face, he knew that look - even if he'd only seen it once before.

"You shouldn't be here," Graham whispered to her, eyes closed.

"Oh shut up," she muttered into his shoulder, glancing at Peter who looked away as if ashamed.

"I hate to break up this touching reunion," Killian said, pulling Emma's focus back to him as she released Graham from her arms.

"But we have those matters I mentioned to discuss."

Emma wasn't sure where the sudden hint of bitterness in his voice was coming from but she ignored it and gave him a tight nod instead.

"Don't give him a damn thing," Graham almost barked, suddenly anxious at the prospect of what she might be forced to trade for him.

"Relax Graham, the only thing I'm giving him is some of my time." Emma answered him as she followed Killian's lead to his cabin.

"Yes, relax Graham" Killian repeated, opening the door for her. Emma glared at him as she walked past and he smirked in response. He found himself glancing at Graham just before he followed her in, seeing the daggers in his eyes as he stared back.

Hook taunted him with a wink, rewarded by Graham trying to tear himself from Smee and Peter's grip to come after him just before he closed the door behind him.

* * *

Killian invited her to sit by indicating the chair opposite of his desk but she shook her head.

"I'm not staying that long" she said, he frowned at her.

"You agreed to hear me out" he reminded her.

"So start talking" Emma said, crossing her arms. He chuckled as he leaned back against his desk.

"Very well, the Evil Queen had your friend taken because she needs something from you and she figured she could use the leverage; especially since she's under the impression she can't rip your heart out with magic." he explained.

"Where on earth did she get that idea?" Emma asked. Hook answered the question with a devilish grin.

"I see." Emma said, lips twitching.

"Careful Swan, that was almost a smile." he said, she would almost call his tone teasing.

"She wants me so she can break the enchantment on the Dark Forest doesn't she?"

Killian almost couldn't hide his surprise, when he'd had her as his… guest she hadn't known a damn thing about what was going on. That same night she was confronting him, suddenly knowing more than he did.

"Color me impressed Emma, I find you very well informed; and in such short time." Killian crossed his arms, eyes examining her curiously.

"How is that exactly?" he asked.

Emma had the distinct feeling telling him that the man he'd sworn vendetta on was the one who not only filled her in, but cast the damn enchantment as part of a deal they'd made, was not a good idea.

"I'm not here to lay _my_ cards on the table Hook," she reminded him. He was silent for a moment, ice blue eyes dissecting her for another few moments before continuing.

"That is indeed why she wants you." he confirmed.

"So now that she's burned you and I've divulged I have an ace up my sleeve concerning the Queen I'm you're best shot at revenge; Now you want to be my friend again," she summarized coolly, the look on her face clearly saying that outcome had a snowballs chance in hell.

"I've told you before I don't want to be your _friend,_" he said, voice crawling into a more seductive octave "but it would do for now."

"Don't. The old tricks didn't play well with me when they were new" she said, unmoved.

"Who says they're tricks?" he asked. Emma had no wish to explore the implications of that question so she ignored it.

"I said you were a pirate to the bone once; I don't think I realized how true that statement was until this moment - you go with the fortunate winds no matter who they blow towards," she said, looking almost through him as she spoke.

"Right now it's _gusting_ towards me. If that wind changes?" she shook her head again, tone of her next words absolute.

"Fool me once - the answers no."

"I think you're answer will change in a moment." he said confidently, unshaken by the finality in her voice.

"I highly doubt that," Emma smiled back bitterly.

"She knows you're out there love, she knows what you look like," Killian said, standing to step closer to her.

"Regina is not going to stop until that enchantment is broken and she can have her war. We're in the same predicament you and I - I'm a wanted man in both kingdoms and the Queen has something I need," he was about to lay the next revelation out, the one he was counting on to convince her. He had to do it carefully because if she thought he was trying to manipulate her with a lie about her dead son he had no doubt she'd try to kill him again on the spot.

"She has something you want as well." he said softly. Emma almost laughed.

"Does she now?" she asked, sounding highly doubtful "And what would that be?"

Killian hesitated, watching the amusement fade from her face as he did. There was something in his expression then that made the laughter in her suddenly disappear. Emma abruptly felt like there was a cold hard pit in her stomach, like a warning that something bad was about to be dropped on her.

"I want you to know I wouldn't say this if it weren't true, you can ask Graham, he saw it as well and knows it to be true better than I" he promised her.

"What does she have Killian?" Emma demanded quietly, watching him warily now.

"Regina has your son Emma, he's alive."

Emma just stared at him. Then rather suddenly she felt like she couldn't breathe, like he'd hit her in the gut with an anchor. Without warning Rumple's casual hint was running through her mind.

_Strange thing that was all those years ago, how you never found young Henry__'__s body._

He was alive; her son was alive and Regina had him. The Evil fucking Queen had her son. Killian watched as all the blood drained out of Emma's face in an instant.

"Are you alright?" he asked with a little concern. She didn't answer him, her hand reaching out blindly like it was searching for something to hold onto. Killian extended his hand and took her by the elbow gently before she could fall.

"Easy love," he said, snagging the chair he'd offered her with his hook and pulling it over, helping her sit down. She actually let him which told him just how hard that information had hit her. Emma looked as thrown as he'd ever seen her. Killian wasn't sure how he expected her to react but he couldn't help but think she was still doing better than most people would in her position.

"Slow breaths Swan."

"Is he ok?" she asked, not even able to attempt to hide her worry from him. Killian decided one big shock for her was enough right now, he could hold out on telling her he was apart of Regina's personal guard for a while.

"He was fine when I saw him and it didn't look as if that would change any time soon." he guaranteed her. Her eyes looked a thousand miles away, trying to absorb what he'd just told her.

"We need each other love - I know how she thinks, I know how she operates and you know a way to take her out; we can both get what we want here." he told her. Emma didn't say anything to Killian for a long time and he didn't push her, knowing he had to be careful. He'd never seen her thought fly across her face so openly, so quickly he had trouble tracking them all. Then her face closed down and without warning she stood and headed for the door.

"I need to think," she said over her shoulder, gone before he could say anything. _Damnit_ he thought, quickly following after her out the door. Killian found her already collecting Graham from his men and untying his hands.

"For how long?" he asked, wanting to stop her and knowing he couldn't.

"I don't know," she said, Graham rubbing his wrists and walking beside her as they made to disembark his ship

"Give me the night." she said, not stopping to say anything else. With that she was gone, Killian left watching her walk off the docks and to the shore with Graham. Smee stepped up next to him, watching as well.

"Want me to follow them?" he asked. Hook gave his first mate an almost imperceptible shake of his head.

"She'll be back."

**...**

**Rough love - am I right or am I right? :D onceuponaflame and swaggercaptain, you're both sweet hearts thank you :D I'm convinced I have the best readers and reviewers ever, I just love love the hell out of this ship and my shipmates! Have a good one!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here we go :D**

**...**

Two hours passed in the blink of an eye for her as she tried to sort everything out, she'd walked through every alley and every street of the port town with Graham following behind her, letting her think. She could feel him worrying the whole time he did, she'd offered to meet him on the outskirts of town but he'd snorted like that was the dumbest suggestion he'd ever heard and stuck by her as she wandered, she'll admit, somewhat aimlessly.

"Emma slow down," Graham said for the third time. Emma knew she was just circling now, like her thoughts at this point. She just wanted to keep moving, make the reeling in her head stop, but damn it, it wasn't working. When Emma didn't answer him he finally grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop.

"Ok, stop" He said, looking into her eyes as he grasped each shoulder firmly.

"Would you say something please?" he pleaded, looking into her eyes worriedly. She hadn't said very much to him after getting off Hook's ship, so many things to sort out in her head…

"I'm glad you're ok" she told him, realizing she should have said that a few hours ago.

"I wish I could say the same of you," he said looking her over. "You've just been wandering around this town for two hours saying nothing."

Technically she'd said, 'I need to think' before she started wandering but she didn't point that out. Emma sighed, she needed to pull herself together she thought before hugging him again.

"I'm sorry," she said "I've been slapped with one to many big revelations is all."

He hugged her back, a little less worried it seemed now.

"I get that" he told her sympathetically as she pulled away.

"That pearl really came in handy by the way" she said giving him a half smile.

"Every now and then I have good idea's" he smiled back.

"Where the hell did you get it?" Emma asked curiously, a question that wasn't making her head hurt.

"Saved a mermaid from a fisherman's net a long time ago; Arrya? Ariel? Something like that" he said, shaking his head like it didn't matter much.

"… walking is not helping." Emma said finally; usually walking helped her work things out a lot.

"You don't say." Graham answered with a hint of his own amused sarcasm. He looked around the abandoned little alley they had found themselves in and lead her to an empty stoop to sit down on.

"Ready to tell me what the hell I've missed?" he asked. Emma took a deep breath, held it, and then let it out.

Then she told him everything.

She didn't mean for the story to be so long really, it's just once she started to tell it she couldn't seem to filter anything and it all just started to pour out of her. Out of the whole story she only changed one part, the part where Rumpelstiltskin came to speak with her and gave her both the memory and the confusing directions he'd put directly in her head somewhere. It was strange but she couldn't shake the feeling that no one should know that right now. Instead she gave Graham an excuse about something, somehow against all the odds, triggering a memory. She told him like she couldn't believe it either and felt very bad when he believed her. Finally she finished and the resulting silence was heavy between them. He hadn't said a word through the whole of her telling, patiently listening to every word with his hands clasped together. When she was done she felt infinitely better than the walking had made her feel.

"You're a lost princess and you're carrying the enchantment that holds the most dangerous forest in the land together?" he asked at last, like he was making sure he had it all right. She nodded.

"You sold your memories to the dark one when you were ten-"

"Apparently I was quite the little martyr" Emma muttered.

"-and the Evil Queen needs you to break it so she can finally get through said dangerous forest and make war?" he finished.

"I guess," Emma answered "I'm still trying to wrap my head around it." she admitted. He just looked at her for a minute, like he was seeing her in a whole new light.

"Stop looking at me like that" she told him gruffly.

"Like what?" he asked.

"Like I've grown a second head."

"Sorry, never again your majesty" he said with the ghost of a smile, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"Yeah, I will hit you." she threatened him.

"It's a lot to take in Emma, especially for you" he said, his eyes telling her he knew her world was probably turning upside down.

"Right now I don't care about any of that. I need to know something Graham."

Emma swallowed a lump in her throat, turning to look at him full on with something almost like hope.

"Killian said… he said Henry was alive. He said you saw him?"

An expression she couldn't identify crossed over Graham's face before he nodded. Emma felt like laughing and crying at the same time, hand going reflexively to her mouth like she was trying to keep all her emotions in. She had known Killian wasn't lying but to have Graham confirm it just made it that much more real. How had he survived? Had the Queen had him this whole time? How? Why?

She decided she didn't care, he was alive and she was going to get him back come hell or high water. Killian had been right - her answer had changed. Emma would have worked with the Dark One himself to get Henry back, so really saying yes to Killian's proposal would be nothing to her.

"How did he look? God he must have grown so much" she almost laughed to herself.

"I bet he's as tall as tree by now, I always knew he would just spurt up when he hit puberty" she said happily, looking back at Graham. He didn't meet her eyes, saying nothing. Oh god, she wasn't sure she could handle anymore bad news.

"What?" she asked apprehensively.

"Emma… Henry was apart of the Queen's personal guard - he looked me right in the eye," he told her, looking into hers as he said it "and he had no idea who I was."

Emma was silent, the elation in her heart taking a nose dive.

"What?" she asked, stunned. He didn't remember Graham? How could he not remember him? Her teeth grit together as a familiar anger began to build in her.

"It's her," Emma spat, on her feet and not remembering getting up.

"She's done something to him, Henry wouldn't just up and leave without goodbye and join that evil bitch's personal guard - _he wouldn__'__t_" she told Graham vehemently.

"I know that." he said calmly. "We'll find a way to get him back."

Emma's gaze flickered off into the abandoned street for a second; time to admit it to the both of them then she thought, there was no point in putting off the obvious any longer.

"I have a way - Hook."

At his name she saw two lightning quick emotions flash across Graham's face - incredulity and than anger.

"Emma," Graham said, gritting his teeth "don't you dare work with that asshole again."

"I need him," she said flatly.

"No. Not a chance in hell - he fucking kidnapped you," he said, shaking his head angrily at her "have you forgotten he was going to feed you to the Evil Queen?"

"It's different this time-" she tried to explain.

"No it's not," Graham said, standing in front of her now.

"When someone shows you who they are Emma, believe them" he hissed. That was the problem she was faced with wasn't it? Because he'd shown her more than a few sides of himself and they all conflicted with each other. He'd saved her life, but he'd done it because he needed her. Saving Kaleese's life? What was the advantage of that? He'd comforted her when she was at a point he could have easily taken advantage of, he'd let her see the wound he carried when he didn't have to. He'd turned on her, kidnapped her and held her captive. He hadn't taken her heart, he'd been prepared to go through with the exchange and he'd rigged the cuffs so she could have escaped. He'd lured her here with Graham and then he let her walk out with him. He'd offered her a way to her son.

"I know who he is," she almost lied; he was a pirate. She wouldn't forget that this time. "I'm not stupid" she finished.

"Then don't make stupid decisions - you and me, we can get Henry back" Graham said, pointing between them for emphasis.

"I need a ship to get what I need to take on the Queen, do you have a ship?" Emma snapped back.

"He can't be trusted"

"I _don__'__t _trust him"

"That's what you said the first time," he reminded her. The words felt like a slap, mostly because it was true.

"This is not black and white anymore Graham." she growled back, angry now.

"How the hell does he even know about Henry Emma? Have you asked yourself that?" he demanded, pointing in the direction of the harbour where Killian and his ship were. Emma hesitated, sliding her gaze away from his.

"He knows because I told him" she said after a moment. Graham looked flabbergasted. She didn't blame him, she hadn't talked about Henry since she thought he'd died - even to him. That she had told Hook of all people probably sounded down right insane to Graham.

"It's complicated," she said when he didn't say anything. He continued to gape at her for a few more seconds.

"Ok pick your jaw up off the ground you're going to start catching flies." she said in annoyance. Emma caught a quick flicker of a shadow in the alley beside them. She peered over into the shadows for a quick second but saw nothing.

"What?" Graham asked, looking with her.

"Nothing," Emma said, starting to walk away from the stoop. Graham fell into stride beside her as he spoke.

"What the hell is this thing you plan to use to take on the Evil Queen? You haven't been out of the forest for more than four days at a time your whole life." he asked, like if he could poke enough holes in this plan he could get her to listen to reason. Emma couldn't tell him what it was because she didn't know, she'd never even planned to actually go after it. Now she had no choice.

_Puppet or not, you will do this._

Emma really hated that fucking sorcerer right now.

"Graham I could really use a little faith from you right now." she said instead as they walked.

"I am worried Emma, I am worried about you - you're picking a man who's already put a knife in your back once over me." he said, looking highly offended.

"I am not! I am picking my smartest option" Emma said through grit teeth.

"We could do this without him, we can get-" he tried.

"No we can't!" Emma cut him off with a bark. She stopped walking, taking a deep breath.

"I'm sorry," she apologized quietly "But this is the way. The Queen _has my son_" Emma said it with equal measures happiness that he was alive and fear that the Evil Queen was using him for some nefarious reason.

"Hook wants her down and out almost as much as I do, _that_ I can trust." she said. Graham searched her eyes for a moment until he seemed to find what he was looking for. He rolled his eyes up in exasperation.

"Goddamn it" he muttered. "You've got that look."

"What look?"

"The one that says I can't change your damn mind" he said with a great deal of annoyance. She gave him a weak smile that he didn't return, he looked concerned.

"Congratulations, you've got what you wanted." she said loudly after a moment. Graham looked confused at her words, but she wasn't talking to him. Emma turned away from him to look behind her.

"Yes, I'm talking to you."

A moment later a tall, lean figure stepped out of the shadows into the moonlight, sword on his hip, handsome scruffed face almost smirking.

"Tough to put one past you, isn't it sweet heart?" Hook said admiringly.

"How long have you been following us?" Graham demanded, worry turning to anger in a heartbeat.

"Good question, how long have I been following you love?" Hook asked brightly, ignoring Graham almost completely.

"Safe bet says for at least the last half of our _private_ conversation," she said pointedly. "For someone who alludes to being three hundred years old you're very impatient."

"I missed the view." he told her, eyes running up the length of her with a salacious grin. Emma rolled her eyes while Graham stepped forward like he intended to go feed Hook his fist. Emma grabbed him by the sleeve of his shirt and held him back.

"Bit over protective this one," Hook said barely sparing Graham a glance.

"Don't let him bait you." Emma said, ignoring Hook to speak to her friend before uncurling her fingers from his shirt. Killian waved his hook in the direction of his ship.

"I suppose waiting for morning would be a fair waste of our valuable time then?" he asked.

"I guess it would." Emma sighed, she looked to Graham and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Say hi to Kaleese when you see her, she's probably wondering where the hell we've all gone."

He laughed at her.

"I'm not going home, I'm coming with you" he said firmly.

"What? No you're not" she said with a shake of her head.

"Yes I am."

"This isn't a field trip Graham, this is going to be dangerous." she told him.

"All the more reason I need to come with you."

"Sorry to cut in," Killian drawled lazily "but it's my ship and the invitation doesn't extend to you mate - go home." he said, his focus on cleaning the grit from under his nails with the point of his hook.

"What's the matter Hook, easier to stab her in the back if I'm not there to watch it?"

Hook's eyes flicked up at him and narrowed.

"Running you through would be the easiest part." he told him dangerously. Graham took another step closer to Hook.

"Don't-"

Emma abruptly stopped talking, confusion replacing the annoyance on her face. Her silence tore both men's attention away from the brewing potential for a fight as they looked at her.

"Emma?" Killian asked.

"Do you hear that?" she asked, brow wrinkling with puzzlement. Both men paused to listen. There it was - growing louder by the second, an almost high pitched whistling like noise. Hook's eyes widened, he knew that sound.

"Cannon fire."

He turned so violently to look in the direction of the harbour his coat whipped open behind him. A building near the wharfs suddenly exploded, collapsing with a bang so loud even it hurt the ears. In succession it was suddenly raining cannon balls, the harbour being torn apart by so the air filled with fire and wood as ships and buildings alike were torn apart.

"What the hell is going on!" Emma yelled over the noise. Killian turned back towards her and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her with him as he ran down an alleyway away from the harbour and towards the sea.

"Queen's found us!" he yelled back, Graham falling into step behind Emma as they ran.

"Your ship!" Emma yelled, looking back to the harbour that was going up in flames and explosions along with the surrounding buildings almost frantically.

"Not there!" he yelled back, gripping her arm tighter as he pulled her through twists and turns of the streets.

"Where's he taking us!?" Graham yelled as Emma pulled her arm from Hook's grip. There was about half a millisecond where she considered not following him, but now did not seem the time for hesitancy of any kind, so she started running in earnest after him with Graham right on her heels.

"I don't know!" she yelled back. Hook took a sharp left, when they both turned to follow Emma very nearly ran into Hook's back. He had skidded to a halt, his path blocked by ten men in the familiar garb of the Queen's soldiers, swords at the ready.

"This way!" Hook yelled as the whistling of cannon fire grew more numerous, quickly slipping into another alley to bypass the soldiers who chased after them, sounding hot on their heels as their boots pounded the cobblestones. Hook took so many twists and turns it was hard to keep up with him, her and Graham just barely keeping him in sight. They hit the outskirts of town after more maze like manoeuvring, Emma was almost dizzy.

"I think we lost them," Graham called out to her, eyes searching path behind them. Emma briefly noted three ships holding position in the waters outside the town, cutting off any ships escape while the continued firing on the town. It was also then that she realized they were all approaching the edge of a small cliff with only the sea ahead of them at a dead run, the Jolly Roger no where in sight.

"You lead us to a dead end?!" Emma yelled incredulously, her and Graham skidding to a halt behind him on the edge of the cliff.

"Patience is a virtue Swan" he said, lighting something in his hand and throwing it in the air. There was a bright shower of red sparks in the air for a brief moment and then nothing. Another loud bang, a building collapsing in flames.

"Not right now it's not" Emma said.

"When I say, we're going to have to jump" he said, looking out onto the sea as if searching for something. Emma abruptly had a feeling she knew what Hook's plan was.

"Are you insane?" she demanded, looking at the water below her, not a huge drop if they missed but she still couldn't swim - and she was all out of siren pearls.

"Trust me," he said, piercing blue eyes landing on hers.

"Oh that is _rich_ coming from you," she snapped "I'm not jumping off a fucking cliff."

"Didn't seem to have a problem jumping from a crows nest" Hook said casually.

"You did what!?" Graham sputtered to her in disbelief.

"Long story," Emma said with frustration.

"Short story actually, we dueled atop the ships mast and she tried to fly." he told Graham, sounding completely unbothered by the fact an entire town was being blown to bits and the Evil Queen's royal guard was soon going to stumble upon them with nowhere to run. Suddenly there was the sound of clanking armour and heavy footfalls, Emma turned to face the ten guards coming upon them, trapping them on the cliff. Speak of the devil. Graham was beside her already shifting his stance, even weapon-less prepared to fight. Emma drew her knife just as Hook unsheathed his sword in the face of the soldiers.

"Kill the men, take the girl" one of the men ordered.

"They make it sound like such an easy task," Hook remarked lightly to Emma as the soldiers advanced slowly.

"Killing you or taking me?" Emma asked, reversing her grip on her knife so as to make harder strikes during the coming fight. He smirked at her.

"Both."

"Right - am I the only _sane _one here seeing our odds?" Graham asked between grit teeth as he watched the ten heavily armoured soldiers close in.

"No one likes a nay-sayer Graham," Hook sang, taking a step back so he was teetering on the edge of the cliff.

Emma however knew he was right, the three of them against ten armed soldiers of the Queen's finest with her six inch blade, Grahams fists and Hook's sword? Odds were not in their favour. She hoped to god this plan worked out soon; if it didn't this was going to be an ugly, quick fight. Emma glanced quickly out at the sea behind them and still saw no ship. Just as she was about to throw herself at her numerous opponents converging on them she saw a quick movement behind them, a large sinuous black shape coming down on the unsuspecting soldiers. Her eyes widened in shock, lady luck was apparently on their side.

"Graham" Emma said.

"What?"

"Your friend's here."

"Wh-"

But he didn't even have time to get the question out. The large black shape leaped over the men's head, landing in the space between them before bouncing back to crash head on into the ten soldiers like a boulder. Suddenly there was screaming and snarling, men making a run to escape the large, vicious black wolf almost twice the size of Kaleese. It came upon them like an avalanche of black fur, teeth and claws. For a minute the three of them couldn't even move, transfixed by the wolf tearing into the ten soldiers like they were rice paper as they either fought or ran. Hook tore his eyes away from the sight to look to the sea behind them.

"Get ready!" he yelled, sheathing his sword over the sound of snarling and fighting. Emma quickly followed his gaze and was barely able to see the dark outline of a ship about to swing past the cliff, all lanterns put out so it glided through the waves almost totally invisible in the darkness. Until it was almost on top of you that is.

"Graham!" she said, grabbing his arm roughly to get his attention which was still riveted on the black wolf and the soldiers trying to fight it. He looked to the quickly approaching ship, Hook already preparing to make the jump. He nodded at Emma mutely, readying himself as well.

"Now!" Hook yelled as the ship swung so close to the cliff, so sharply, it looked dangerously close to crashing into the sheer face of rock. Graham whistled sharply and then they were jumping into the darkness. For heart stopping second all Emma felt was the gut roiling feeling of falling in darkness, not sure if she was going to make it to her target or fall into the sea. Then her feet hit solid wood and she was rolling across the deck of the Jolly Roger to absorb some of the impact, Hook and Graham landing in succession with her. She laid there on the deck for a brief moment, heart thudding in her throat. They'd made it, that crazy stunt had actually worked. Then Peter's face was above hers, grinning in the dark.

"Nice jump," he complimented.

"Thanks Rebel."

"You ok?" he asked, offering his hand to pull her up. Emma nodded, holding up her hand to signal she still needed a second to catch her breath. She didn't get that second; The sound of claws scrabbling at wood and pirates suddenly yelling as a loud snarl cut loose made Emma pick her head up off the deck to see what the hell was going on now. Here eyes adjusted to the dark enough to see a few feet from her pirates were drawing swords in alarm, the large beast that had boarded the ship as well now taking an aggressive stance against them. The wolfs lip curled back so its sharp teeth glinted in the scant light of the crescent moon, amber eyes un-waveringly fixed on the armed pirates. Graham was standing in front of the growling wolf instantly, arms spread out wide protectively. Seemed silly for him to be protective of the wolf after how it had saved their asses. Emma realized belatedly he was just trying to stop the fight.

"You wanna live past tonight?" he asked the crew seriously.

"Swords away!" a harsh voice commanded. Emma looked up to see Hook was also already on his feet, staring his men down as they slowly obeyed the order. Graham put his arms down and the black wolf immediately stopped growling, panting happily up at Graham. Hook came to stand next to Emma as she allowed Peter to help her to her feet. She looked back to the port town while the three royal ships continued to fire on the harbour, burning its ships and any building to close to a ruin of cinders.

"How did she find you?" Emma asked as Hook looked with her.

"I'm afraid Regina has a network of eyes all over this damn land," he told her with grit teeth.

"I had thought this location was small enough for a measure of privacy, I suppose I was wrong" he did not sound very pleased about that fact either.

"Seems your habit of sending your ship out of the harbour paid off. Hell of a risky manouver you just pulled." Emma remarked as she looked back to the cliff the ship had nearly crashed into when it had swung by, now quickly growing smaller and smaller as the sailed away.

"You can never be too careful when you steal a prisoner from the Evil Queen. Also the manoeuvre worked" he shrugged, giving her a meaningful, prodding look.

"Ye of little faith." he winked

He almost frowned when she didn't throw a clever retort back at him, still angry with him apparently. He smirked, he'd convinced her to work with him, Killian would just have to work on warming her up again - after all he loved a challenge. Emma's eyes turned away from the cliff they'd narrowly escaped off and fixed back on the wolf that had arrived just in time to save them.

"Another one of your friends?" he asked, following her gaze to watch the wolf carefully.

"His actually." Emma told him as she watched Graham smile down at the wolf.

"He has a wolf too?" Peter asked, awed. Emma shook her head with an small almost secretive smile that made Hook raise his eyebrow.

"Keep watching Rebel," she said, "you're gonna love this."

Killian looked back to Graham and the wolf with Peter. The wolf lowered its head and suddenly a thin swirling of mist was engulfing it, obscuring the wolf until only its silhouette could be seen. In two heart beats the silhouette changed from wolf to human. The cloud of smoke dissipated as quickly as it had come; where the wolf had stood now a petite figure in a rich, dark red, hooded cloak stood.

"You two have a party and don't invite me?" the figure asked, reaching up to pull back the red hood of her cloak, revealing long black hair spilling around an oval shaped face and big brown eyes along with a bright smile. The woman pouted out her bottom lip as she looked between Graham and Emma, placing a delicate hand over her heart.

"Consider my feelings hurt," she said in an exaggerated wounded tone.

"Hook, Peter," Emma said as both gaped at the woman. "Meet Little Red."

**...**

**Are we having fun yet? lol, now the journey can really begin! **  
**Messymind and Pursuinghappyness thank you both for being so damn nice! Have a great week everybody!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sometimes you just get a chapter that fights you every step of the way - this was that chapter. Also been busy, here it is at last, enjoy! **

**...**

Red shook out her hair, taking an almost joyful notice of all the pirates gaping at her.

"God that never gets old," she sighed with a grin.

"The wolf is a girl…" Peter said, gawking at the petite ebony haired woman who looked around the same age as Emma.

"Yes Peter, we saw" Hook said cavalierly, trying to hide his own shock at what he'd just witnessed.

"Fascinating company you keep darling," he told Emma aside.

"Regular circus," she said shortly.

"Coldness doesn't suit you love," he said as he noticed Smee trying to get his attention, they weren't quite out of danger yet.

"I would have to disagree" Emma said back.

"I'll be with you and your friends shortly, before you get lonely" he said with a wink.

"I wait on bated breath." was her insincere retort as Hook strode away, shouting out orders and sending his crew scrambling to their duties of sailing his ship as quickly as possibly out of range of the Queen's ships.

"I'm glad we're not on opposite sides of the board," Peter told her.

"Rah, rah little Rebel" she said with a weak smile, patting his shoulder.

His smile flashed a bit brighter before he was forced to hurry off to his duties. _Why did Peter have to make her like him?_ she thought as she approached her friends. Red already had her arms wrapped around Graham's waist, her ear pressed to his chest with her eyes closed and a content smile.

"I was worried you idiot," Emma heard her mutter to him as he wrapped one arm around Red, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"Missed you too," he sighed into her hair. Red opened her eyes as she neared and released Graham, hand lingering on his arm.

"Good to see you're alive," Red told her.

"Thanks"

"Still got that stick up your ass?"

"You should know, you've been playing fetch with it" Emma retorted. Red threw her head back and laughed, eyes sparkling.

"Still full of piss and vinegar I see," she observed, nodding her approval "means you're really ok."

"Red, how did you find us?" Graham asked.

"Kaleese - she was in a tizzy when she found me; and the only time Kaleese comes to me is when she can't find either of you. I knew something was wrong so I started the hunt," she opened her arms as if to accept applause "and here I am - ta-da!"

"Is Kaleese ok?" Emma asked instead. Red dropped her arms and shrugged.

"Other than needing to stay behind to rest and recover, she's fine" she assured her. Emma felt that last little knot in her gut loosen.

"Thanks for coming" she said gratefully with a small smile. Red just waved the thanks off, she was about as good with gratitude as Emma was.

"I can't believe your alpha let you come," Graham said, sounding honestly surprised. Red's eyes slid to the side as she bit her lip.

"Yeeeeeaah, about that…"

Graham was already putting his head in his hand and sighing.

"Damn it Red," he huffed.

"Ok, _you_ wanted me to try pack life but it is _not _for me Graham," she said, instantly sounding terse.

"Every alpha thinks they can bend me over and spank me like all their other brow beaten puppies," she said shaking her head "Nu-uh, I'm a whole other breed of bitch thank you."

"Amen" Emma agreed under her breath. Graham's mouth turned into a tight line on his face but he said nothing else, Red was already moving the conversation along.

"Enough about me, we just escaped the Evil Queen's guard while it rained cannonballs by jumping onto a pirate ship - is _no one_ going to catch me up?"

"A very long story milady" Hook's voice cut it, Emma looking to the Captain himself as he smoothly inserted himself into the conversation by coming to stand with them.

He stood very close to her, much like he had the first time they had begun a journey. Then he'd been doing it to test her, see if she'd step back - now she could tell by the way he made brief but deliberate eye contact with Graham he was doing it to test him. Graham wasn't taking the bait and Emma didn't move away from him, though she didn't turn herself to physically include him in the conversation either. Hook continued on after a brief pause to note everyone's reaction.

"I'm sure Graham will happily fill you in after I drop you at the next port," He said it like it was an offer but it sounded like one you couldn't really turn down.

"Sounds good to me," Red shrugged agreeably, most likely because she hated being on ships.

"I'm not getting off at the next port," Graham told Hook stubbornly.

"Correction, that does not sound good." Red amended in that same agreeable tone.

"I'm afraid you are _Graham,_" Hook informed him somewhat menacingly, making his name sound like that of an insect he found bothersome.

"If you want my help he comes," Emma cut in suddenly. Hook looked to her with open surprise.

"Last I checked we were in agreement of this," he said. Emma had not wanted Graham to come because it was dangerous, true - but now she couldn't help but wonder if he would be safe out there with the Evil Queen having such a wide net of eyes looking for them all.

"I changed my mind," she said simply, facing him at last, realising just how close he was standing to her when she did.

"Have you now?" he asked, as if amused by her decision.

"Yes, I have" she informed him with a smile. It was an empty expression except for the challenge in it. He smirked back, mirroring said challenge back at her.

"Hmm, just like old times Swan." he said a little to intimately with both of their gazes locked. Red looked back and forth between the two of them, as if measuring something between them that was invisible to all the rest, the barest upturning at the corners of her lips marking a smile no one saw. Graham was about to step to Emma's side, a show of support to back Hook down but to his surprise Red held an arm up to block his path.

"She's a big girl lover," she reminded him gently "she can handle this."

"You need my ship darling" Hook reminded Emma, both of them completely ignoring the other two.

"There are other ships, only one of me though - and you need me." she reminded him, still smiling that insincere grin. Emma almost felt his eyes roaming her, like the very first time they'd met, weighing her out to see if there were any strings on her he could pull.

"Plenty of ships, only one Captain who knows the Queen like I do," he countered.

"They come or I go," Emma reiterated. She tried to show him she wasn't moving on this with body language alone.

"… If the lady insists" he said at last, conceding. How come when he said it he made it sound like he'd somehow won the argument?

"A gentleman pirate?" Red said, drawing Hook's attention to her once more.

"Well isn't that… just…" Red caught the silver flash at Killian's wrist that was his hook and trailed off as she stared at it.

"He has a hook for a hand." she said, turning to look at Graham as if to confirm he saw it too, expression blank. Graham nodded and Red looked back at Killian as if seeing him for the first time. Hook turned up the charm in his smile that turned most woman to putty in his hand, saying nothing. Emma felt a startling strong urge to slap it off his face.

"Are you Captain Hook?" Red asked at last.

"Ah, so you've heard of me." he said, sounding pleased. Red stared at him for another few seconds before she pointed between Emma and Graham.

"Ok - what the fuck have you two been doing in my absence?" she demanded, sounding thoroughly annoyed.

"If you two stay you follow the rules on my ship," Hook said firmly, ignoring Red's comment while spearing Graham with a look.

"I believe you know them?" he asked cheekily. Graham just barely managed not to sneer.

"Think I got the jist."

Hook nodded before turning his attention back to Emma who looked like she was on the verge of rolling her eyes.

"I believe you have our heading love?"

"You have a sea chart?"

He stepped aside and gestured towards the door that lead to his private quarters.

"By the dozens," he said. Emma made for his cabin with him following behind her. Graham was instantly trying to follow but Red had him by the elbow and pulled him to a stop before he got more than three steps.

"Easy Graham," she said.

"Red, Emma needs me to watch her back" Graham said, looking between her and Emma's blond bob of hair retreating from him.

"She does," Red acknowledged, looking after them as well. "But not right now."

"What?"

Graham watched Red as she looked after Hook and Emma entering his cabin and the door closing behind them, an unreadable expression on her face.

"Just trust me." she said pulling the reluctant Graham back a step.

"Besides, you have a hell of a story to tell me."

* * *

A boy in soldier garb strode down the long hall, removing his helmet as he made his way. He was going to deliver the bad news of the now very troublesome pirate that had slipped the net with the blond woman. If there was ever bad news to deliver to the Queen he made sure it was him to break it, he stood a better chance of emerging the ordeal relatively unscathed - his men often did not. Henry clutched the small velvet satchel in his hand a little tighter as he made his way, wondering if it would lessen the sting of losing her prizes not once but twice. He found himself standing in front of the two intricately carved ornate doors, towering above all who came to the Queens chambers, fairly certain it would. Henry took a deep breath, straightening a little before reaching up to knock firmly. The doors opened seemingly of their own accord to permit him entrance.

His every footfall was echoed back to him as he walked into the large, dark circular room. He always wondered why she kept such a large room mostly empty, he found it somewhat unnerving. The large hanging mirror on the wall with the velvet chair positioned comfortably in front of it was empty, sending his eyes skittering about the room until they landed on her back. Her black dress and high collar form standing vigil in front of that large gnarled apple tree of hers. That she hadn't turned to face Henry though he knew she was aware of his presence put him a little on edge. He made his way towards her, going to one knee a few feet behind her.

"Your Majesty," he said carefully.

"You come bearing bad news Henry" she said, still not turning to face him. Henry felt his hand tighten on the velvet satchel a little as he raised his head a few millimeters to peer at her from under his bangs. He realized she wasn't just standing in front of the tree but pruning it with a pair of pruning scissors.

"Among other things," he answered.

"Yes, you never come with just bad news," she said, carefully cutting a few dead growths on the tree.

"You're a clever boy after all." she finished.

"Captain Hook and the woman have escaped us again." may as well just get it out. Regina clipped a branch rather viciously with a loud menacing snip of the shears.

"I see," she said, putting the pruning scissors down on a small table next to her and turning to face him at last, looking none to pleased.

"Very bad news to be carried amongst _other things._"

Henry felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, the Queen has such a vicious temper sometimes - this was her holding it in check. If it were anyone else should would not bother to do so. Wordlessly he held out the satchel for her inspection. At first she just stared at the offered velvet pouch. Then a slow smile spread across her face, she knew exactly what it was.

"This is why you're head of the guard Henry," she told him, taking the offered satchel.

"You always have things so well in hand." Regina continued, almost giddily stroking the gift.

"Thank you your Majesty" he said with a nod of his head, feeling a tension flow out of him.

"Henry, we're alone and I'm far from cross with you, stand my son" she said, waving her hand to urge him off his knee, mood turning 180 degree's. Henry got to his feet, not unused to her mercurial ways as Regina put her hands on his shoulders.

"Did you interrogate the contact before Hook stole him?"

Henry shook his head and tried to school the frown from his face. The way that man had looked at him, as if he knew him... had he met him once perhaps? Before the accident that had turned his past to a blur? Possible; but highly unlikely. Yet he'd looked so certain he knew him…

"I'm afraid I never had that chance." Henry answered. Regina didn't look put out by this news, placing a hand on his cheek instead - a rare tender look on her face.

"Doesn't matter. Where others fail you come through - you're a good boy Henry."

Praise from his mother was an uncommon thing. She was a very hard woman to please but there was a spark of good in her heart. It was nice to see it every so often Henry thought as he smiled back at her. He opened his mouth to say something, however he was interrupted by the obnoxious sound of the door slamming closed. The sound made Henry jump a little as he turned to see who had entered without knocking. There stood the Dark One himself with his usual to wide smile plastered on his face, making it obvious he'd been watching the entire display.

"Hate to ruin this tender moment," Rumple said, not sounding sorry at all as Henry narrowed his eyes at him.

"But you summoned me your majesty?" he finished with a sweeping bow, a grand gesture filled with a startling amount of mockery.

"You're dismissed Henry," Regina said, dropping her hands and turning away from him. Henry nodded tightly and turned to leave, walking past the scaly imp who he tried his best not to glare at. Rumple watched him go with a condescending wave of his hand, door swinging closed behind him.

"That boy certainly cares for you Dearie," Rumple observed out loud before fixing her with his unnerving reptilian eyes, an exaggerated pout on his face.

"Shame your mothers curse prevents you from, you know, loving him back." he said, giggling when she levelled him with a glare.

Regina knew Rumple liked to try to rub that notion in, but it wasn't a curse - her late mothers spell made her impervious to falling prey to the weakness of certain emotions, nothing more.

"I love my son," she said defensively. Rumple held up one hand as if to halt the justification ignorantly while he shook his head.

"You enjoy his affection - a rather large difference. Your majesty." he tagged the last on to avoid crossing the line into outright condescension.

"Looking out for his welfare now? How noble of you," She sneered.

"Procuring you a child was a fair bit of trouble, I'd rather not do it again" Rumpel smiled even more widely, a mere baring of his crooked stained teeth. There was always a hint of something sneaky in that grin she could never put her finger on.

"You'll do as your told," she smiled sweetly at him, fingers brushing the hilt of the knife forever peeking out from her sleeve, reminding him who held the power here. Regina was pleased when she saw some of the smugness drain from his face.

"But of course," he said with a nod of his head, tone almost menacing in how contrary it was to the words.

"I need you to construct a curse for me," she told him, going to sit in the chair before her mirror, a plume of purple black smoke circling in her palm before retreating to reveal a polished apricot seed.

"A _Cadens Visum_" she ordered, tossing him the seed. He waved his hand casually so it hovered in mid air before him.

"That's an up close and personal kind of curse Dearie, just how do you plan to deliver it?" he asked. The Queen's smile was all kinds of unsettling as her fingers danced with the string on the velvet pouch Henry had given her.

"I have my ways."

* * *

Hook was unfolding the chart onto his desk when he glanced up and caught Emma staring rather peculiarly at the far wall. It took him a second to realize it was the same wall she'd pinned him to before making her daring escape.

"Memories?" he asked, barely managing not to smirk as his inquiry pulled her focus back to him. Emma tried not to frown, she would rather drown herself than let him know she thought about that moment everyday, about that kiss. Little did she know that Killian's often vengeful thoughts were intruded upon regularly by that same memory. Emma was actually surprised he wasn't-

"Or perhaps ideas?" he asked, grinning enticingly up from under his bangs at her.

_And there it is _Emma thought in annoyance.

"Regrets actually," she told him "I should have punched you in the throat."

Hook continued to smile despite the threat as he smoothed the map down flat. Emma felt a tingling in her chest, was she nervous? She didn't feel nervous…

"I'm sure," he replied, tone indicating he wasn't buying it as he looked the chart over. Killian grabbed a quill and held it out for Emma.

"Now that we're friends again-" he began as she came closer.

"Not friends," she snapped, snatching the quill from his hand.

"Where is it we're headed? What is this ace up your sleeve?" he asked, undeterred by her interruption. Emma didn't answer him, very loudly; instead turning her focus to the chart. Now her arms were tingling too, she gave her hands a quick shake trying to dislodge the feeling.

"Keeping secrets now are we?" he inquired as he stepped closer to look with her. Emma's free hand strayed closer to the knife on her belt, fingers brushing the hilt. Killian didn't fail to notice the reaction, but then Emma hadn't expected him to.

"You know if we're to be working together, at some point you're going to have to trust me love." he said.

"I do trust you," she shrugged without looking up from the chart. That certainly caught him off guard. Emma's eyes were once again on his face.

"I trust you to look out for number one, which means if you have to you will turn on me."

Emma leaned in closer to him, invading his space like he was constantly doing to her.

"This time I'll just be ready for it."

A firm warning if he'd ever heard one as he watched her go back to examining the chart. Why was she tingling? It was a very subtle but annoying sensation, spreading through her now...

"You don't think very much of me, do you Swan?" he asked her, he couldn't exactly blame her but still.

"On the contrary Hook," she said absently "I think a great deal of you - not much of it is good."

That was too ripe to ignore.

"Having naughty thoughts about me love?" he grinned "I'm flattered."

He watched her tense, eyes obviously looking right through the chart at this point as both hands gripped the desk rather firmly.

"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded. Hook tilted his head curiously

"Doing?" he asked.

"You've gotten me to agreed to work with you, I'm helping you with your unwavering quest for vengeance,"

Emma didn't have to look at him to know a darkness passed behind his eyes at the word, hell she almost felt it. He was so often charming and flirtatious that he could make you forget the dark spark burning at his core, the thing that truly drove him. The thing that pushed him past the line of 'scoundrel' into 'dangerous.'

"So why are you still trying to play me?" she asked in a firm quiet voice, as if trying to pick the reason out herself. Killian couldn't help but wonder himself, what exactly was he trying to coerce from her?

"I'm not," he answered, but of course she didn't look at him when he said it - it was like she didn't want to know the truth.

"The hell you aren't."

Killian's eyes narrowed, he very much disliked that she would try to shut him out by simply not looking at him. Perhaps that was what he wanted - the easiness back, the begrudging camaraderie. He was rather used to getting what he wanted.

"Something was there when we emerged from the Dark Forest that wasn't there when we began the journey." he said, teasing tone gone from his voice. She looked up at last, seeing for once he wasn't wearing his charming smile.

"Still is there," he amended "I'm not playing you."

He could see that she didn't believe him, about which part he wasn't entirely sure until her next words.

"I see you Killian," she told as she stared into his eyes "revenge owns all the space in your heart - don't you dare pretend to me it doesn't."

Killian honestly didn't know what to say to that, because it was mostly true. Mostly.

"My, my - can't we turn a phrase?" he mocked her instead. Emma didn't respond, he once again had expected some kind of quip at least. Instead Emma cast her eyes firmly down and said nothing, hands unclenching from the desk as she continued to silently try to figure the bloody chart out like her life depended on it

"Ignoring me now are we?"

Nothing.

"Very mature love."

"Fuck you," she said bluntly, for some reason that made him chuckle.

He watched curiously as she tried to give the appearance she knew what she was doing. It surprised him when he realized Emma's hand was mostly hovering above the paper hesitantly, trying to figure the sea chart out - she had no idea how to read the damn thing. How in the hell did she have a heading if she had no idea how to read sea charts?

"May I be of assistance?" he asked

"No," she replied almost instantaneously. Emma almost bit her tongue - her pride was a beast of thing sometimes. Hook watched her silently struggle with it for a few more moments before he leaned in, so close his chest almost touched her shoulder.

"We are here," he breathed into her ear, tapping their position on the map. Her head snapped in his direction, beautiful angry eyes landing on his face again.

"Ok, you know what?" she hissed, making him pull back a little from her "I'm so _not_ interested in playing this game with you," she told him, quill scratching across the chart viciously. At first Hook thought it was a mistake, something she'd done by accident in the grips of her irritation. He almost pointed it out but then her hand continued to move - quickly and purposefully across the chart, even as she was still almost yelling at him and paying the hand no mind.

"If you keep this crap up I swear I will break your nose Hook," she spat threateningly.

"Swan," Killian tried, watching her hand.

"No, I'm serious-"

"_Swan_" he interrupted more firmly, meeting her gaze.

"What?" she snapped.

"What are you doing?" he asked, peering into her eyes as if looking for something in them. Emma's angry glare slowly turned to confusion. He flicked his eyes down meaningfully at the chart. Emma followed his gaze and started, dropping the quill. Where she'd been trying to figure out how to get the directions out of her head they had seemed to just spill out of her as she yelled at Hook, perfect heading now drawn on the page. Killian watched her face carefully as Emma saw what she'd done, taking vigilant note of her reaction. Emma seemed to feel his scrutiny as he watched her and pulled a mask of indifference onto her face almost immediately.

"Marking our heading obviously," she said casually. His eyes narrowed a fraction.

"Of course." Hook replied with no inflection, piercing blue eyes fixed un-waveringly on her.

"Right," she agreed, sounding almost defensive. There was silence between them for a moment where once again she wouldn't look at him.

"I'll be spending the night in the crows nest," Emma told him abruptly.

_She__'__s troubled, why?_

"When my bed is far more comfortable?" he asked innocently, his expression looking anything but. It was too predictable, he was onto the fact something wasn't entirely right and inwardly she cursed. To many questions (hers and his at this point) and not enough answers.

"Ha, ha," was her dead pan reply, as he would expect it "I'd rather sleep with the fishes" she told him, heading for the door.

"Try not to throw yourself off it this time lass," Killian called after her with a note of real annoyance in his voice.

"No promises," she said, slamming the door behind her. Killian stared after her for a few more seconds before looking down at the perfectly marked chart - something was going on with Emma and he had every intention of unearthing exactly what that was. As he examined it he suddenly recognized the heading she'd marked, eyes widening at the realization.

_You__'__re just full of surprises, aren__'__t you Emma? _He thought to himself, jaw tightening.

**...**

**How do you like me now chapter!? HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW!? *clears throat* sorry, I had issues with this bit, lol. Have a great week everyone!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Wow, sorry I've been away for so long but holy crap, me and my muse fought for so long over this piece before I just had to trash this chapter and start again. Also life. But now I'm back! And after no CS interaction this last episode I think you guys needed this - enjoy!**

**...**

The sky was the clearest blue Killian had ever seen as he stood at the helm, hands on the rail of the steps as he surveyed his crew at work. A good strong wind filled the sails of the Jolly Roger, ship cutting through the sea like a hot knife through butter. The smell of the ocean air and just a touch of salt you could taste on every breath. These were a few simple things Killian could still find some pleasure in after three hundred years when not mulling about a thousand different ways to skin a crocodile. All this and currently being on his way to procure a means to said revenge should have put him in an immensely pleased mood. But he wasn't, eyes turning for the hundredth time to his lithe little blond, standing by her insufferable friend Graham who was rubbing small circles on the petite Red's back as she continued heaving over the side of his ship.

Emma was avoiding him; she was actively trying to ignore him on _his_ ship. His attempts to approach Emma (more than once) failed; she would very suddenly have her interest piqued by something in the opposite direction and just slip away. Now she was sticking close to the other two she'd forced him to bring along and he had no doubt separating her from them would not be an easy task.

On one level it was enlightening, he knew she was hiding things from him, many things - a few things she didn't think he knew but did. These things he knew lead him to hesitant (hopefully incorrect) possibilities for her other more unsettling behaviours. Like the heading that a select few knew of, knowing there was no way in hell she should be in that select few. He was damn well going to unearth these things from her - he would not let Emma lead him blind on any matter of this venture.

On another level it actually strangely offended him that she thought she could just disregard him, it was frustrating and for some reason he couldn't seem to let the slight go as he looked away from her to the ocean. Hook was painfully aware of her where ever she went about his ship, he should be thinking about other things - perhaps mull over a few more ways he'd use the knife to kill Rumplestiltskin. Or thinking about the more immediate worries of any possible interceptions from royal ships and honestly this was intolerable he would not be ignored by Emma on his own bloody ship. Begrudgingly his eyes skittered in her direction yet again. Graham was missing now, leaving just the two woman.

Red must have been saying something fairly scandalous by the look on Swan's face. Emma's ocean blue eyes turned in his direction and met his for the first time that day, leaving Hook to assume the inquiry had been about him. He winked when she met his gaze and perhaps for the very first time Emma looked flustered, tearing her gaze away quickly and making him smirk for the first time that morning.

This little Red was obviously being delightfully blunt on some matter concerning him he thought, quickly looking the sea sick woman over, an impish smile fixed on her too pale face as she watched Emma.

He made a decision then that this avoidance of him would come to an end, sooner rather than later.

"Mr. Smee" Hook called out.

Smee was there almost instantly, ever attentive his first mate was.

"Yes Captain?"

"Give Peter an early break," he ordered "also be sure he overhears a little something…"

* * *

Emma had watched the sun rise, unable to sleep. Not because the crows nest was uncomfortable - she'd slept worse places. Her head was too full, every time she'd tried to put a few things to rest in her mind more things she needed to think over popped up. The things really keeping her awake? Thoughts of Henry and the fact she had no idea what this ace in the hole Rumple had given her was. And Hook; in one form or another he was always on her mind. She'd climbed down from the nest and watched him come out on deck shortly after the sun rose. She had been aware of exactly where he was ever since; Frustrating as hell, but useful when dodging him about his own ship.

She missed the Dark Forest, at least it was straightforward and just trying to kill her, out here everyone had an agenda. Emma sighed and shook out her arms for what felt like the hundredth time, the damn tingling sensation had grown insistent and was becoming more annoying by the hour, sometimes concentrating in her hands, sometimes her stomach and then occasionally through out her whole body.

She found it a bit unsettling since she didn't know the damn reason. The only thing more prominent than the feeling was the pair of ice blue eyes nailed to her right now. Emma didn't meet them, pretending to not practically feel them on her. She'd finally settled near Graham, trying to sooth the seas sick Red in his lap - she never was one for naval travel.

"How are you holding up Red?" Emma asked.

Red looked at her sarcastically, appearing green around the gills.

"This is content heaving, can't you tell?" she wheezed in irritation.

"Must be the rosy glow in your cheeks throwing me off," Emma agreed, examining her pallor from where she stood.

"I could express my joy of sailing on your boots?" Red offered with a weak grin. Emma held up her hands in a placating gesture and took a step back.

"I'm good."

Graham chuckled at the usual brisk quips exchanged between her and Red as he stroked her black hair

"She'll be ok, just needs to adjust is all." he told Emma with a somewhat helpless shrug. Emma nodded as if she'd guessed as much, turning to look out on the vast stretch of ocean ahead of her, no land in sight. It was beautiful in its own foreign way - she very much liked it actually, it was a brave new world for her; she almost couldn't fathom how one survived out here. It was almost… exciting.

_If you live on the sea - it__'__s because you__'__ve earned it._

Emma's smile faded as his voice ran through her mind. Why couldn't she banish him from her thoughts when she had more important things to think about?

"Hooks watching you," Graham said, not looking in the Captains direction, mouth set in that hard displeased line. Little did he know he didn't need to tell Emma this.

"He thinks I'm hiding something from him," she shrugged, trying to convey a blasé attitude she didn't actually feel in the slightest.

"Are you?" he asked.

"In spades," she admitted with a tired sigh, she needed a nap. This was day three on no sleep, maybe that was why her body was acting funny Emma thought giving her hands a shake to try to chase away the pins and needles once more.

"Good sense if you ask me," he said with a nod of support.

"Graham can I have your shirt?" Red asked, carefully pulling her head back from over the edge.

"Why?" he asked slowly.

"I haven't seen your bare chest in three months - it'll lift my spirits." she said, mustering a shadow of a smile and leaning into him more.

"It still amazes me how shameless you are sometimes Red," Graham told her, shaking his head.

"You love it," she teased half heartedly, he just gave her a look.

"Place and time Red."

"Fine, then could you get me some water instead?" she asked hoarsely. No sooner had she asked Graham was shifting her off his lap and going to find her some. Immediately Emma was giving Red a quizzical look, she always had a small water flask in the pouch of her cloak. So there was only one reason she'd send him away…

"Your Captain is behaving," Red said, referring to the fact he'd yet to come invade her space though it was abundantly clear he wanted to.

"No he's not," Emma scoffed.

"What makes you say that?"

"Hook doesn't behave, he plots," Emma shared coolly "is there something on your mind Red?"

"Well I was going to ask if you've bumped uglies with our famous Captain," Red told her with a blasé half shrug of her own.

"But the tension between you two reeks of unconsummated attraction."

Emma's jaw just about hit the deck. She knew Red was infamous for her uncanny insight into a situation as well as her complete lack of sensitivity, she learned to check the urge to hit her for it long ago since that was just who she was. Red managed to fix that shit eating grin on her way to pale face as she watched Emma's reaction. Checking that urge was a very difficult feat at this moment.

"You're completely off your rocker," Emma said, voice a little too high and words rushing out of her a little too fast.

"Oh come on, I can smell it," Red said rolling her eyes "arousal and fear are similar I'll admit, but you two are by no means afraid of each other."

"I think you need to get your nose checked."

"Really?" Red said sceptically "Maybe I should get my eyes checked too then, because I must be imagining the smouldering look he's giving you right now."

The words unwilling made Emma do something she'd been avoiding doing all damn morning and look at Hook. Her eyes almost instantly locked to his like they were magnetic. For one insane moment she thought he was going to look away - but that wasn't Killian.

No - he winked at her.

Emma looked away so fast the world almost spun before her eyes. Red looked taken aback by Emma's flustered reaction, clearly that had not been the particular one she'd expected.

"He's after me because I say no," she explained quickly to Red "he just likes the challenge." she lied. Sort of.

Red looked as her like she hadn't been listening to the explanation.

"Emma… are you falling?" she asked slowly.

"No." Emma said, spitting the hard word out so fast it almost sounded like a physical thing. Red glanced at Hook as he conversed with the red capped Mr. Smee before looking back at her.

"Holy crap, you both are," she said, sounding shocked.

"You've been with wolves to long Red," Emma said, making a show of rolling her eyes.

"I'm not judging you know." Red told her with an edge of laughter in her voice, making an attempt to not be brash.

"Don't push this," Emma warned her.

"We can't help who we lo-"

"_Red,_" Emma cut her off so viciously it actually made the other woman jump.

"If you finish that sentence I will _never_ speak to you again. Clear?"

Red's eyes widened, hearing the utter seriousness in her voice. She didn't say anything to Emma for a moment, seeming to digest whatever it was she'd divined from her, which was probably a lot.

"I see. Mums the word then," she finally reassured her tightly, just as Graham returned empty handed.

"Hook's crew is a rather unhelpful lot," he grumbled to Emma in annoyance. He seemed to see the hardness in her expression then and the open astonishment still in Red's.

"Everything alright?" he asked carefully, looking between the two of them.

"Not really," Red said, making Emma's heart clench as Graham looked to Red for further explanation.

"Think I'm going to vomit again," she finished queasily as she leaned over the edge of the ship again.

"Whoa, easy hun." Graham said grabbing her by the back of the hood to keep her from going overboard. Emma relaxed her hands, she didn't even remember clenching them. She was strung way too tight about this, now she was snapping at her friends.

"She going to be ok?"

Emma looked towards Peter's voice, finding him standing to her left, his usual messy hair ruffled by the breeze, those bright brown eyes landing on the ill woman with some concern.

"Oh yeah, take a lot more than this to take her out Rebel." Emma reassured him. She felt her shoulders tighten and almost sighed, he was looking at her again.

"Graham, Red - this is Peter." she said, introducing him as a way of distracting herself from Hook's attentions spearing her from across the ship.

"Last name Rebel?" Graham asked as he reached over to shake the hand Peter automatically extended towards him, shooting Emma a quizzical look.

"Emma just calls me that sometimes," Peter shrugged, then added "sorry about that whole holding you prisoner thing."

"Ah, what's a little forced confinement between friends?" Graham replied dryly, letting go of Peter's hand who immediately twisted it in his hair as if uncomfortable by the underlying sarcasm in the answer.

"What do you need Rebel?" Emma asked, giving him her full attention as she followed him a small distance away from her friends.

"On an early break, just thought we could chat," he said evasively - still no better at it than the first time he'd tried his hand at it.

"You are terrible at being coy Peter, seriously you're god awful," she told him bluntly. He shifted uncomfortably, like he desperately wanted to ask her a question he wasn't sure he should ask which confused Emma even more.

"I… I just wanted to know - is it true?" he asked in a conspirator whisper. Emma frowned at him.

"Is what true?" she asked. Peter opened his mouth to clarify but was interrupted by Hook.

"Bothering the lady again lad?" he asked as he approached the two of them. She almost felt Red and Graham going on alert behind her as they also took note of his approach. Emma almost cursed, she knew he'd get tired of waiting for an opening and try to make his own eventually. Apparently he had no qualms about using Peter to create that opening.

"No Captain," Peter answered dutifully.

"Swan?" He asked, looking so very sincere. He wore it well of course, but Emma didn't trust sincere on Hook.

"Peter doesn't bother me," she shrugged with a pointed look. He smirked at the implication.

"Then far be if from me to interrupt his quires, please continue" he said with a wave of his hand. Peter looked as if he wasn't entirely certain if he should ask now, his Captain making it clear he didn't intend to leave.

"I was wondering if you'd give me some pointers on fighting," he asked after a short hesitation. That had not been what he was about to ask but Emma played along.

"I'm a lousy teacher Rebel," Emma admitted to him.

"Here I thought you would jump at the opportunity to instruct someone," Hook remarked lightly. Translation of course being _I thought you__'__d love the chance to give orders_.

"That's hilarious coming from the Captain of the ship." she answered.

"What can I say love, I give fantastic instruction," he said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. The amount of subtext in that one damn sentence…

"Later," Emma said simply to Peter.

"Frightfully busy are we?" Hook asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Exploring to do," she said with a mask of sarcasm.

"Ah yes," Hook said with a nod "I suppose I neglected the _royal _tour."

The way he said 'royal' almost made Emma freeze, like somehow the word held more meaning for her. She watched his face carefully but it gave nothing away as Emma felt Peter squirming, trying to slink away. He knew something; she reached out to grab his arm without looking at him and tugged him back in a way that clearly said _oh no you don__'__t_. Hook extended his arm out to her as if he expected her to take it.

"I'd be delighted to do so now," he offered, wearing a come hither smile that despite her best efforts actually made her lose track of what she was thinking. Most women would not have had a chance after being smiled at like that; that it affected her at all pissed her off. She managed to recover however, before her slack jawed reaction could be noted by Killian.

"I'll pass," she said as coldly as possible, he wouldn't be cornering her that easily.

"I insist," Hook tried, not withdrawing his arm. The way he said it made it clear he would not be taking no for an answer. Tough.

"A long journey ahead of us, tours can wait." Emma tried. Hook tilted his head to the side as he looked at her.

"A two day sail isn't a terribly ardours journey love." he said innocently, dropping his arm. This was why she was avoiding him, he was going to trip her up like a blind kid walking through corpse grass.

"Farther to go than the sailing Hook," she answered as casually as possible. He shrugged like he didn't require an explanation - like he already knew.

"If you change your mind about Peter you'll find he's an excellent student," Hook told her with a nod in the kids direction.

"He took to sword play rather well. Should _you_ ever wish to learn…"

"I feel sword innuendo on the horizon," Emma remarked sarcastically, not realizing she was easing back from him towards Graham and Red until he seemed to ease forward in response.

"_Feel_ _it,_ do you?" he asked provocatively. She nearly had to bite her tongue to not take the bait on that.

"Much like your constant staring," she said instead.

"Ah, terribly aware of me are you?" he asked, lips pulling his smirk into a lopsided grin. _Yes_ her mind answered in frustration.

"Yet you never actually look at me," he said, sounding overly fascinated by that fact.

"Just because I don't stare doesn't mean I take my eyes off you for a second."

"I would despair if you did love."

"I'm not afraid to hit an old man Hook," she smiled back just as Graham shifted Red off his lap again and stood, feeling like she might need him.

"Low blow lass." Hook said as he watched Graham approach, a great dislike of the man evident in the small glance he graced him with. The look was returned in full as Graham came to stand by Emma's side, saying nothing.

Hook wanted to throw him overboard just for the silent intrusion. He very much disliked how protective this Graham was, always trying to be her bloody hero. It bothered him more that Emma wasn't telling him to back off like she would if Hook attempted such an act. Not that he would - he'd learned a few things on his trek with her. One of them was Emma could handle her own, she rarely needed an assist.

"Certainly seems to consider you his little damsel in distress, doesn't he?" Hook asked, as if he wasn't standing there at all. Graham answered coolly like he'd spoken to him anyways.

"Not at all, but every pair of eyes counts when dealing with snakes," he said as he put a hand on Emma's shoulder. Hook had never felt an urge so powerful to hit a man for many, many years as he glanced at the hand he so casually placed on her. Hook faced him at last, both men were roughly the same height so the glaring contest was extremely even. Peter and Emma shared a quick glance before looking back at the two men.

"Pirate son, not a snake." he corrected him off-handedly, speaking to him as if he were a child.

"What's the difference?" Graham asked innocently, hand sliding off Emma's shoulder. Hook raised an eyebrow at the insolent question.

"One's a poisonous reptile, the other a lawless sailor," he told Graham slowly, as if this would better help the other man spot the differences.

"Not terribly bright is he?" he said aside to Emma. _This is not going to end well _Emma thought gaze flickering between the two men.

"Sorry, I get confused since both are belly to the ground kind of creatures." Graham retorted with a hint of anger in his voice. Hook's eyes narrowed fractionally, it was the only change on his face yet it somehow revealed a sliver of darkness peeking out from those ice blue eyes.

"Careful boy. If snakes and pirates share one commonality it's that they're both predators."

Emma tensed at the undercurrent of threat in Hook's voice.

"Another is that both are easily dealt with," Graham's body language clearly showed intent to start a fight. She was just about to open her mouth to intervene, try to defuse the brewing fight when suddenly that darkness pulled back in Hook's eyes rather unexpectedly and his smile lost that sharpness.

"If that's true you must think very little of Emma's ability to handle herself."

Graham looked both surprised by the nature of the comeback and defensive immediately about it. Before however he could refute the accusation Hook was already making other observations.

"Your little Red may benefit from going below deck, ease her discomfort somewhat" Hook suggested condescendingly to Graham, turning and heading for his cabin. Emma couldn't help but notice he put a very strange emphasis on 'your' as she watched him go.

"Emma… ow," Peter said, gently trying to extract his arm from her grip. She'd forgotten she was still clutching his arm and quickly released her hold on him.

"You're going to hold onto that question for a few more seconds - don't move." she told him sternly, turning to face Graham before he could go back to caring for Red.

"My head is going to explode if I have to keep holding you back from jumping at Hook's throat on this trip."

"I know, I know" he sighed apologetically, rubbing his face. "He makes it really hard not to be over protective." he admitted sheepishly.

"I can handle him. I could handle walking on hot coals for Henry." she said, reminding him why they were working with Hook to beginning with. He conceded with a nod before Emma looked back to Peter.

"What were you really going to ask me Rebel?" she asked. Peter was shifting as if highly uncomfortable again as Graham returned to Red.

"It's not really any of my business, it's just I tried to kiss you once and-"

Emma snapped her fingers in front of his face to focus him.

"Stop squirming Rebel, you're making _me_ jumpy," she said "Just calm down and ask, I'm not going to tear your head off." she promised him. Peter tossed one more look about him as if to make sure no one else was close enough to hear as he leaned forward.

"Is it true you're a princess?" he asked in a whisper. Emma's eyes widened to the size of saucer plates at the hushed question, ice suddenly flowing in her veins.

"Who the hell told you that Peter?" she demanded quietly.

"I heard Smee and Hook-"

Emma's head snapped in the direction of Killian's cabin before Peter could finish and felt the ice in her veins melt as her blood began to boil. That eaves dropping _son of a bitch_. Emma didn't even bother listening to the rest of Peter's answer, she just stomped towards Hook's cabin in a rage. He had no right, no fucking right, to know _any_ of that about her! No one she didn't tell herself did. Emma was so angry she didn't bother knocking - she just ripped the door open and stormed in, slamming it shut behind her with a loud shuddering crack.

"You bas-"

Emma stopped cold where she was, eyes going wide. Hook stood near his wardrobe, looking at her with a smirk that seemed to be warring with startled amusement by her sudden appearance and something a little… friskier. His clothes lay on his cot, leaving him as naked as the day he was born. Every toned, smooth expanse of skin visible as the light from the window played across the dips and ripples of muscle across his chest and arms, down his bare thighs-

"By all means, come in." he invited huskily ice blue eyes watching her un-waveringly. All her anger sort of vanished in the second where she just stared at him in all his glorious nudity before her, unable to look away. _Stop staring!_ her brain screamed at her.

"Oh god," she said, eyes suddenly tearing away from him and flying about the room in an attempt to find absolutely anything else to focus on.

"Just Killian is fine," she could hear the undercurrents of laughter in his voice with that remark.

"You knew I was coming," she said, glaring at a spot on the wall like it was the most interesting spot she'd ever seen, keeping him in her peripherals. She'd been avoiding him all morning and a few careless words from Peter put there by Hook sent her storming into his cabin, she was so off her game it wasn't even funny.

"Well I thought I had ample time to change at the least but yes. Remind me, what was it you said about not taking your eyes off me?" he asked her, closing the wardrobe and turning to face her.

"Shut up," she snapped

"You wear scarlet well love," he purred, referring to her blush.

"You wear clothes better," Emma replied, voice a little off.

"No, no, stay - we've much to discuss princess" he said pleasantly when he saw her take a step back for the door, a note of challenge in his voice. That re-ignited the fire that had brought her charging in here.

"What all did you hear when you followed us?" Emma demanded hotly, forcing herself to look at him, keeping her eyes firmly fixed on his face. He raised an eyebrow and took a slow step towards her, moving as if he was attempting to bewitch her eyes to wander. It was a bit like watching a panther moving in on prey.

"Afraid I may hold some of your precious secrets? You do have so many of late." he said.

"The things I haven't told you are things that are my business and best others not know," she told him, echoing his own words from long ago back at him mockingly. His smirk darkened as he took another step towards her.

"Cute," he said, another step closer "and wrong."

He was only a few feet from her now, Emma felt her heart beating so fast it was almost making her dizzy. _Look at his face, look at his face…_

"For the love of god, would you put on some pants?" she asked through grit teeth, looking up at the ceiling for a moment.

"Does my state of undress offend you your majesty? Perhaps if you weren't trying so hard not to look?" he suggested innocently as she returned to glaring at him, letting his own eyes roam her as he said it.

"I certainly don't mind if you do." he finished. He was the one without a shred of clothing on and yet Emma was the one feeling exposed.

"How much did you hear?" she demanded stubbornly, ignoring the majesty quip, refusing to be distracted.

"How much did you say?" he asked, moving closer still. She could feel the heat of him warming the now small space separating them, his gaze sliding over her appreciatively.

"Answer me Hook," Emma growled.

"I will if you will love. What is this way to victory over the Queen you've spoken of?" he asked, leaning his face closer to hers. She'd never realized how black his eyelashes were, how well they framed those eyes of his, the strong line of his jaw under the scruff and -

_Stop it!_ Her mind yelled at her again, what the hell was _wrong_ with her? She straightened herself and didn't pull away from him, partly because this was just another way of challenging her and Emma would be damned if she'd back down first. The other part… well her every nerve ending was so aware of him it almost hurt and did she ever _hate_ it.

"Better yet…" he whispered, the words feeling as if they brushed against her face and sending unwanted shivers down her spine, Emma's hand curling into a fist to drive him if he moved even one centimeter closer to her.

"How is it you know the way to Neverland?" he asked, eyes locking with hers.

**...**

**I love sexual tension, it's so fun to write! Also I will ship these two idiots in hell and no one can stop me! Thank you guys for being patient and as always thank you so much for reading and all the lovely reviews, lurvs you guys. Have a good week everyone!**


	6. Chapter 6

**This was technically where I planned to leave off last chapter but it seemed too long to do so, lol.**

**_..._**

_Neverland?_

Emma tried to hide her confusion but of course he'd thrown her so much that in that second she hadn't been quick enough to smother it completely. As he watched her face she saw that had been his goal. But before Emma could answer or deflect the question or Hook could make any observations interruption found them in the form of an unsteady Red wrenching the cabin door open looking worried. She was in the middle of her first word when she seemed to register the scene before her and her jaw hit the floor.

"Ok… so not fear then." she said to herself. Hook didn't even look in her direction.

"May I be of some assistance milady?" he asked.

"I'm fine Red," Emma said over him, sounding thoroughly un-amused by the amusement in his question.

"I see that... I should go then." Red said. She didn't move for a few moments apparently having some trouble looking away.

"_Red._" Emma said sternly.

"Right!" she said, voice sounding a bit higher then normal. The door slammed closed, leaving her and Killian alone once more.

"Genuine confusion," he said, remarking on her previous reaction whilst extracting himself somewhat from the borderline painful proximity to her.

"That is very interesting," he said.

"Put some clothes on," Emma seethed. He smiled, mission accomplished as he turned his back to her dutifully.

"Feel free to enjoy the view Princess," he told her over his shoulder as he walked back to the wardrobe, the fact that her eyes had momentarily dropped down out of a small begrudging curiosity just as he said this made her blush deepen. She hated him _so_ much right now.

"Don't call me that," she hissed as he grabbed a pair of black pants from his wardrobe.

"Bother you does it lass? So many secrets to keep," he said, putting them on. He glanced back at her before looking back down to do up the buttons one handed with his nimble fingers.

"No wonder you look tired."

So the heading Rumple had put in her mind was to Neverland? Had she known that at one point? She knew other things were still there, other things she knew but… didn't. All the information she had was like an itch at the back of her mind she couldn't quite scratch, a foggy outline that wouldn't clear till the right time no matter how long she stared. She had no doubt Rumple had designed it like that. What was it the imp had said before he'd skipped off?

_I find these kind of things are more effective if you find out yourself. _Good fucking luck explaining any of that to Hook.

"Who I am is none of your business." she said instead. His expression turned less playful, sobering in a way that let Emma know he was done playing the game they'd been engaged in moments before.

"It, however, is my business where and to what this venture leads us," he countered, sitting on the edge of his desk.

"I've a crew to look out for and a vengeance to take - so I ask again, how do you know the way to Neverland and what is there?" he demanded quietly. There was something there in the question Emma couldn't quite put her finger on, as if he might have an answer and she had a feeling it was either one he didn't like or one he didn't want to be true. Either way there was something in his eyes that was all pirate, and not the flirty rogue one either. No he was looking at her like you look at someone you know things about, things that they think you don't and that above all else was unsettling her.

"You heard everything," Emma said, voice blank with the effort to keep her anger from it. When she said everything she meant everything - Emma had no doubt in her mind he'd heard her tell Graham her whole story - and that was most definitely not good.

"Answer the question Swan," he said, voice bordering on menacing. Yes it seemed they were all done playing. Emma returned his piercing gaze with her own wilful glare.

"I don't owe you any fucking explanations."

"Then would you care to hear a very disconcerting theory Emma?" he asked her, sitting so very still it almost looked like he wasn't breathing, looking as if he had somehow drawn a shadow about himself.

"Not really," she replied in much the same tone, but it seemed he'd decided he was going to tell her whether she wanted to hear it or not.

"I think ten years old is a young age to have to deal with the devil, when all of hell bares down on you why not make another?"

Was he asking what she thought he was asking?

"What does that mean?" Emma asked, a pointless question really but she was trying to decided if his reaction to the truth would be worse than a reaction to a lie if he caught her in it.

"I think you know," he said, perched on the edge of his desk, so very… still.

"Spell it out for me,"

"Did you make another deal with Rumpelstilskin?"

The words sounded like they almost dared her to lie to him about it. How did he pull these things together? It was beyond disconcerting how he guessed so close to the truth. Now that instinct was back, howling in her head that no one should know about Rumple's involvement, but it felt strangely foreign, like the heading he'd put there.

"No," Emma answered honestly in a flat voice. He was across the space between them and standing five feet from her in a flash.

"Don't. Lie. To me Swan" he growled through bared teeth.

"I didn't make a deal," she told him again, with more conviction this time.

"You know things without really knowing them - that reeks of magic, _his_ magic." he spat at her, the colour of his eyes almost seeming to darken with his anger. That foreign instinct was yelling louder now - _tell him nothing, no one can know, tell him nothing, no one can know. _That instinct was not hers and she knew it, Rumplestilskin didn't want anyone to know he was pulling strings here, Emma could feel it. She had to push past it-

"Just couldn't wait to sell you're soul again huh love?"

His tone was what did it - snapped the power of that voice like a brittle twig, smothering any hint of being flustered as Emma's hand raced out almost of its own accord and slapped him so hard the force turned his head. When her arm fell back to her side his head remained turned, a thick silence descending on them as a muscle in his jaw twitched.

"I didn't make a deal," she told him evenly in the silence as his eyes slid to lock on her dangerously.

"He came to me in the brig of your here ship where you had me trussed up like a little present for the Evil Queen," she reminded him viciously, undeterred by the look.

"He gave me back one lonely memory from childhood and then he shoved a bunch of other things in my head, things I'd need to kill the Queen. It's like he thought I wouldn't be able to resist the temptation if I had it all, even if I didn't _want_ it. I wasn't planning to ever use these things until _you_ dangled Henry in front of me you _smug prick_."

She'd had no time to really be angry in awhile, not even as she'd been making her way back to Graham's place. There'd been too many other things to think of, but now it was just him and her and in this moment she let it show how furious she was. Killian looked surprised by the information, the razor edge of his anger pulling back so that his blue eyes seemed clear again, watching Emma almost shake like a storm of rage was churning inside her. There was a sound like glass cracking but the noise went completely ignored by them both as Emma continued on.

"So for the record I didn't exactly have a choice on coming by this information. Even if I did? You don't have any grounds to demand I tell you my sources let alone get high and mighty on me Killian Jones, especially after the shit you've pulled."

For once she was glad he could read her so well, because she knew he'd see the truth mixed with her outrage at his accusation. Killian slowly reached up and wiped a bead of blood from his lip after another minute of tense silence passed between them and examined its evidence on his finger. He'd pushed too hard at last, all this time he thought he could worm his way past her defences like he done the first time, charm her all over again as it were. He realized now he'd done real damage, she was tolerating him because she wanted her son - not forgiving him. Despite the fact that she would still help him with his revenge against all that, was strangely… not what he wanted. Her help yes but not begrudging help, not her hatred.

"I was presumptuous, forgive me." he apologized softly with a nod of his head.

"Presumptuous?" she repeated, as if the word didn't cover the transgression in the least.

"I am… regretful of the actions I took against you before as well if that helps," he tried again, pulling back a few steps from her. Emma wasn't really surprised to see the truth in his words, but his regrets weren't enough to sway forgiveness from her.

"My quest for revenge for Milah…" he said her name like if physically hurt him to say it aloud.

"I'd do anything to put her memory to rest, but the latter of my many deeds I'm least proud of," he finished. Emma took a deep breath and held it, trying to calm herself a bit at his words; Then she nodded, not acceptance of the apology by any means really but it was enough to push them past the subject.

"The how of your knowledge I'm afraid doesn't change the fact that the Dark One doesn't give anything away for free. It's a trap Swan."

"It's really not." Emma said as she let the breath out.

"And just how is it you would know?" he asked skeptically with a raised eyebrow, only a hint of mockery in his tone this time.

"He needs her dead, I saw it in his eyes."

"He also wishes me in the ground, almost as much as I him, you can't trust him." Killian countered.

"He didn't think you'd live past the next sundown when he told me this - who do you think tipped me the Queen was going to put an end to that nasty breathing habit of yours?" Emma asked him. Killian didn't like what he'd heard that much was clear by the way that muscle in his jaw continued to tick, the tilt of his lips in that distrustful downward quirk. She felt like he was dissecting her with his gaze, much like the first time he was trying to decided if she had what it took to get them through the silent path alive.

"How certain of this are you?" he asked finally. Not nearly as certain as I want to be.

"Survival is my game Hook. If it were a leap of faith I'd jump" she told him. That was true, but it still was just that unfortunately - a leap of faith.

Emma knew it was going to be dangerous along the way, felt it really. Henry was worth that though, and she had a feeling Killian felt much the same about his revenge. True as that may be she wasn't entirely sure she could convince him of the surety of her gut feeling on this, after all she'd fallen into his trap. And yes, she had to convince him because they'd already shown their hands - Emma would just have to make the best of it now. But she'd known she couldn't trust him then - she just hadn't listened.

She was listening now. Emma could see the resentment boiling in his expression as he looked at her, the blatant hatred he coveted for his enemy. But if she couldn't convince him-

"Alright Swan." he said to her quietly, interrupting her thoughts. Emma's was confused for a moment, waiting for him to say more, an ultimatum of some kind perhaps. But he didn't say anything else.

"What?"

Emma felt like maybe she'd missed something earlier in the conversation, something vital that would shed light on how she'd coerced his agreement on this.

"I happen to know Neverland and its portal quite well so-" he began, ignored her incredulous question, but Emma was right there cutting him off.

"No, no, wait - that's it? You're just going to…" she trailed off, unable to say the words.

"Trust you?" he finished for her "It has to start somewhere love - and I've already chose you." he said with a small shrug that was not nearly as blasé as he made it seem.

"Worked out fairly well for me the last time."

Emma wouldn't have given him the same courtesy, not in a hundred years.

Killian watched her thoughts cross her face, how she honestly didn't know how to react to that. She opened her mouth but nothing came out, prompting her to close it. There is was again, the thrusting of that weighty thing called trust into her hands and not knowing if she could hold it or even if she wanted it.

"I'm… going to get some proper rest." she said finally, slowly turning her back and leaving his cabin, closing the door quietly behind her.

Killian sighed as he rubbed his face, things were already complicated, he very much did not like the unveiling of this new information. What the hell was he doing he wondered? He went back to his wardrobe and picked out a black shirt of his, slipping into it and going back to his desk. As he did so he noticed that the oil lamp on his desk had a large crack running through the glass, spider webs spreading all through it from the imperfection. It was as if someone had dropped the thing. He didn't remember it ever having fallen he thought, running his fingers along the lines now marring its glassy surface. He picked it up and moved it away from the edge of his desk and as he did he noticed something else out of place. On his desk sat what looked like a polished apricot seed.

Killian's brow furrowed with curiosity - now what was that doing there? He looked closer and saw it had a letter, or perhaps a picture inscribed into its glossy surface, prompting him to reach over and pick it up for closer inspection.

Almost as soon as it rested in his palm it began to burn and he knew he'd made a mistake.

Thin black vines crawled from the cracks of the seed, wrapping around his hand as he struggled to drop it. The thorns of the vines bit into his skin and wove through his fingers like a snare, pulling tight and locking his fingers around the seed. He tried to use his hook to pry it off as he cursed but they only wound themselves tighter, thorns cruelly drawing blood. He tried to call out, but it was like his voice had been stolen as the burning pain raced up his arm, a soundless scream falling from his open mouth.

And then Killian's eyes went blank, hook slowly falling to his side as he stood like he'd gone into some kind of trance. The vines quit growing, job of keeping his hand firmly clutched around the seed done. Little by little his jet black hair started to grey…

**...**

**I know, I know - cruel cliff hanger. I think my muse is tired, also I have a busy week ahead of me so I'll get the next chapter out as soon as life allows. anyone else excited for the season finale? I am! *SQUEEEEEEEEEE* Lurvs you all, thanks for reading and leaving me reviews!**


	7. Chapter 7

"Damn it Red I just want you to be happy" Graham tried for the third time. Red finished cleaning her mouth before she looked at him incredulously, and just a bit like she wanted to reach over and knock some sense into him.

"What the hell makes you think I'm not?" she demanded with a frustrated bafflement.

"Every lone wolf I've ever met ends up miserable, you need a pack" he insisted.

"I'm sorry, all I heard was blah, blah, blah - I know what you want better than you do, blah!"

Well he could see she was finally getting her sea legs at least.

"You know I'm right,"

"Umm, no. No you're not," Red replied in an irritate sing song voice "you're just afraid you might not be able to make me happy."

Graham opened his mouth to deny it and found he couldn't, realizing how her frank words hit a mark he hadn't realized was there. That was Red's way of course, no unnecessary mincing of words - straight to the heart of the matter.

"You do you know," she told him with a small smile, "if you didn't I wouldn't keep coming back."

"What about five years from now? Ten years?" he asked. She gave him a look like she honestly didn't see how time would have any bearings on how she felt.

"I live in the now, leave the future to Sooth-Sayers and Seers Graham," she advised him.

When she still saw the doubt in his face she let out an exasperated sigh.

"Do you love me?" she asked him seriously. She watched his expression soften as he reached up a hand and cupped her face so he could look into her warm brown eyes.

"You know I do,"

"Good, then stop being an idiot and just love me. Today." she said it with that quirk to her smile, the usual brash words of affection that was her simple her way. Red went on her toes to kiss him. He couldn't help but smile as he dipped his head to meet her, eyes sliding closed. Just before their lips met he felt her whole body tense as if alarmed by something. Before he could open his eyes and ask he felt a slight shifting of air and the sudden absence of her like a void. He opened his eyes to confirm she was indeed gone, prompting Graham to look for her in confusion.

It took him a moment to spot the bright crimson of her cloak, standing at the threshold of Hook's cabin, holding the door open and looking flabbergasted at whatever sight lay inside. He knew Emma was in there, hopefully ripping the arrogant Captain a new one. He found himself less alarmed by Red's expression and more puzzled; he'd have crossed the distance to her in a heart beat if it appeared something was wrong, but Red looked to be… shocked?She heard Emma snap Red's name who promptly gave a reply he didn't hear before slamming the door closed and striding back to him, wide eyes blinking excessively like she was trying to erase some sight from her mind.

"Everything ok?" he asked, concerned by her demeanour.

"Nothing!" Red blurt out almost instantly at the question, grabbing his arm at his obvious confusion over her answer and pulling him back to their previous spot.

"Lets scout for whales," she suggested brightly.

* * *

Emma's timing was evidently fairly spot on, seeing just as she exited Hook's cabin a curious Graham looked to be trying to come investigate while Red made poor attempts to distract him. He looked relived when he spotted her walking over to them. Red appeared surprised for lack of a better word.

"Well that was… quick," Red remarked lightly, just a bare hint of a lewd suggestion in her tone and a twinkle in her eye. Definitely feeling better. Loved Red, still wanted to slap her 90% of the time.

"Give me a little credit," Emma said, rolling her eyes as Graham looked back and forth between the two.

"You know what? Not even going to ask" he said, holding up his hands as if surrendering to the fact it was probably better not to know. Thank god for small mercies.

"Do… do either of you know anything about Neverland?" Emma asked. The blank look from Red was answer enough, however she saw a flicker of something in Graham's eyes.

"I know it's in a different realm," he answered slowly "why?"

A different realm? How the hell was a heading suppose to help them if they needed to realm jump to get to their destination?

_I know Neverland and it's portal quite well__…_

Was that possible? A sustained portal to another realm? Emma had never heard of such a thing, but what did she know? In a certain light it could be said she'd lived a sheltered life. Well, maybe isolated was a better term.

"That's where we're headed," Emma told them both.

"We're realm jumping an entire ship?" Graham asked, sounding stunned. Emma didn't actually know, she'd kind of bailed before she could discuss any details with Hook. She wished she could just shrug and leave it at that so she could go scope out a comfortable, quiet place to get a little rest.

"It may very well come to that I think," Emma said, not wanting anyone else to know she was how blind she was flying on a lot of this.

"How?" Graham asked.

"We got us a portal," Emma explained, sounding far more knowledgeable on the subject than she actually was. Red made a sound like an excited kind of giggle.

"Warring with the Evil Queen, on the run, cavorting with famous pirates and now adventure to a different realm?" Red sighed as if she couldn't ask for anything better.

"Have I ever told you I love you?" she asked Emma with a grin.

Emma was in mid smile when it happened. Her stomach suddenly fell into her feet, so violently for a moment she thought she was going to be sick. _Danger._

Her hand was on the hilt of her blade and she didn't remember putting it there as her gaze raked across the immediate vicinity looking for the threat, blond hair whipping about her face as she did so.

"What is it?" Graham asked warily, following her lead and searching for whatever had tripped her alarm bells.

"Something's wrong," Emma said, feeling a strange almost stinging sensation spread over every inch of her skin and making her shiver. She could see that the tone of those words let them both know this wasn't a '_Something__'__s hinky_' kind of wrong - this was a '_people are going to die_' kind of wrong. Emma looked to the sea, looking for any ships the lookout might have somehow missed but saw nothing. She ran to the other side of the ship with both Red and Graham in her wake as she looked for anything in the waters on the other side of the ship. Nothing. She looked about the ship almost frantically as her instincts continued to scream at her - _Danger! Look out! Death!_

"Emma, talk to us." Graham said seriously while the brown of Red's eyes slowly turned to a wolfish amber as she watched her friend.

"Something is _wrong,_" Emma repeated through grit teeth, despite the lack of evidence to her claim. Her stomach felt like it was shriveling to the size of a grape - in her toes. She rubbed a hand over the back of her neck and felt every hair standing on end.

"What's going on?" Smee asked as he approached the three obviously distressed passengers, Peter curiously in tow.

"Apparently some serious shit is about to go down," Red supplied, the amber of her gaze deepening even more. Smee looked to the increasingly frantic blond guide at Red's warning. If the first mate of the ship had been anyone else - someone who had not trekked through a hellish forest of nightmares with her - he may have dismissed her with no evidence to the claim, as a lass to tightly wound. But Emma had pulled him from the literal jaws of death, it made him more inclined to listen.

"Peter get the Capatin," Smee ordered, sending the kid off like a flash.

Emma had never felt the presence of danger so strongly and immediately not seen the threat moments later. _What the hell is going on? _She found herself inexplicably closing her eyes, something she'd never done before, in her world seeing something before it saw you meant living or dying, but... Her skin almost ached with the prickly sensation, also a new experience.

_What the hell was going on_!?

She concentrated on the new feeling and found the side of her body angled towards the Captain's quarters stung more, as if the cause came from that-

_Killian__'__s in trouble._

As soon as the thought entered her mind she started running, a half a second before she heard Peter yelling for help. Emma didn't really remember running to his cabin for the second time that day, but she remembered what she saw when she entered it again. At first she saw Peter trying to say something to Killian who stared off into some unseen horizon and gave him no reply. Vines encased his hand and were slowly crawling up his arm. Emma's entire body was just this side of burning now but she almost didn't notice it when she saw how Hook's face was aging, hair greying and eyes dulling by the second as though something was sucking the very life from him.

Oh shit.

The others poured in behind her just as Peter reached down to pry the vines off Hook.

"Peter don-" Smee began but didn't get to finish. Peter touched the greenery and it was as if an invisible hand slapped Peter off his feet and sent him careening into the opposite wall with a loud thud.

"Peter!"

Emma shot to his side as he lay on the floor, stunned.

"Are you ok?" she demanded, checking his eyes quickly. He nodded mutely, winded, shooing her from him as if his condition was the least of her concerns.

"What the fuck is that!?" Red gasped, eying the snake like shrubbery wrapped tightly around the catatonic looking Hook. Emma pulled a wobbly Peter to his feet before quickly returning to Killian, making her heart thud painfully loud in her chest as she noticed he looked considerably older than when she'd walked in five seconds ago.

"Curse," Emma snarled, glaring at the vines now crawling past Hook's elbow. She'd never felt a curse, but she sure as shit didn't think nice magic felt like this.

"Has to be. Hook - Hook!" she yelled, feeling her heart begin to race even faster when he didn't so much as blink.

"Killian!" she screamed, shaking his shoulder, his hair turning white before her eyes - he'd be dead in minutes if he kept aging at this rate.

"Emma he can't hear you," Graham said from behind her.

"I'll make him hear me, wake up you bastard!" she tried, shaking him harder. When she still got no response Emma dropped her hands from his shoulders and looked at the vines, siphoning his life away from him. Her palms suddenly felt warm as the animosity towards the vile growing things bloomed in her chest like an ember.

"You're not allowed to _die,_" she snapped at the old man continuing to wither away before her. _I feel like my blood is tingling- _

"Emma what's going on?" Graham's alarmed voice came from behind her. A quick glance in his direction revealed his stunned and awed expression along with Red, Smee, and Peter's. She followed their gazes to her hands and was shocked to see they were pulsing with a strange light. Emma didn't have time to question it, no time to think or be amazed, she just followed her instincts. She clamped both hands down on the creeping vines tangling themselves around his closed fist. The last thing she heard was Graham yelling for her to stop before the sensation of falling impossibly forward consumed her. When Emma opened her eyes, not remembering closing them, she found herself standing all alone in Hook's cabin. Emma was completely confused by the sudden calm when a moment ago it had been chaos and panic. Where was everyone? Where was Hook?

There was a buzzing in her ears that made her want to give her head a shake, like she could dislodge it. _No, no - pay attention _something inside her seemed to say, some keen buried instinct. Emma frowned as she cautiously closed her eyes and put her focus on the buzzing noise instead. It almost sounded like… voices? Clear and indistinct words, frantic sounding… was that Red's voice?

_Emma!_

The sudden nearness of Graham's voice startled her, eyes flying open as she searched for him. But he wasn't there, she was still all alone in Hook's cabin. Or was she? She looked out the cabin window and saw… nothing. No sea, no sky just nothing, not even colour - it was mind boggling. Emma recalled Killian's empty vacant stare as the curse sucked his life away, his unresponsiveness, the falling forward, opening her eyes and being alone, the buzzing of her friends voices in her ears...

She looked around again at the familiar cabin space that was weirdly unfamiliar - this… this wasn't real. Wherever Hook's mind was, hers had just followed him in. Which meant she was in a trance like him, her friends trying to call her back. Was she dying like Hook was now? Emma listened to the buzzing of those voices again, almost feeling them, like a rope in her hands showing her the way back. If she followed them would they lead her out? It certainly felt as if it would when she focused on her friends voices.

But that line wasn't going to lead Killian out; and that meant Emma had to go find him.

"Keep talking to me guys," she murmured to herself striding to the door that lead out, half expecting to find more nothingness.

Instead when she pulled the door open she was greeted by the normal sight of the ships main deck, people hard at work with the rigging's and scrubbing the boards down. It was a very, well, ordinary sight really she thought, walking out among the crew who paid her no heed at all. For some reason Emma couldn't understand there was still something… eerie about the sight, something off. It wasn't until she started to search for Hook's face among this crew that she realized what was wrong - the men had no faces. She felt all the hair on her body suddenly standing on end as a chill ran down her spine. It was like an artist who had added people to the background, giving an impression of a face but not actually giving them one because they were just featureless props.

That's when she heard someone laughing. It was familiar and yet unfamiliar, because it had never sounded so… light hearted? She turned towards the sound and froze. There was Hook, standing at the helm of his beloved ship - but he wasn't alone.

A woman with long, curly black hair stood in front of him, brown eyes and plump red lips pulled into a smile. Killian stood behind, body molded behind hers as both his hands twined over hers, guiding her steering of the ship. He moved head to put his lips near her ears and whispered something into her ear to make her laugh. There was absolutely no doubt in Emma's mind who the woman was.

Who else could it be but his dead wife, Milah?

* * *

Everyone's jaw dropped as Emma was not blown back like Peter had been but instead witnessed the barbed little vines growing from Hook's closed fist begin to encircle both of her hands, pulsing light.

"Emma!" Graham yelled.

"How is she doing that?" Red asked no one in particular, sounding frightened for the friend who had joined in Hook's catatonic state.

"She has magic?" Smee asked, mouth agape.

"She's never had it before," Red answered as she ran to Emma's side.

Graham tried to grab her shoulder and yank her back but he pulled his hand away almost instantly when something like an electrical charge viciously snapped at his finger tips.

Hook looked like an old withered man, his breath sounding raspy and difficult even at rest, eyes only half open, but he appeared to have stopped aging.

"I can't even touch her," Graham nearly snarled in frustration.

"Oh god, Graham!" Red gasped. He followed her gaze and felt his heart stop as one of Emma's long locks of hair turned white before their eyes.

"Emma let go!" he screamed.

* * *

As Emma approached the helm she noticed two things. He was tucking a lock of the woman's black hair behind her ear with the hand he'd lost to Rumplestilskin. The second thing she noticed was that Killian was _happy_. She'd never seen him look so smitten with anything or anyone - he was in love with the woman who he was teaching to steer his beloved ship. The long dead love from three hundred years ago, it made her feel oddly… conflicted. But if that didn't confirm the suspicion she had about none of this being real nothing else would. This was the cruel twist of the curse she realized as Killian kissed Milah's cheek - live a dream while the magic slowly killed you.

He had his long dead love in his arms, why would he want to wake? Emma found an unfamiliar ache blossoming in her chest when the thought occurred to her, that he might not want to wake. Emma knew he'd loved her from the moment she'd asked him that night at the look out point about the name tattooed on his wrist, but knowing and seeing were two very different things. How strong was this dreams hold on him? With his eyes so firmly glued to Milah the answer was obviously strong. A guilt seemed to sear right through her like the point of a sword; Emma knew in her gut she was going to have to crush this dream of his. Just like in the forest that same determination seized her, the one determined that he live.

_This illusion is killing him - remember that Emma. _And she needed his help still. That was why she couldn't let him die. Right.

"Killian,"

His ice blue eyes looked in her direction, her voice also drawing the attention of Milah's gaze as well. Her face looked different from a moment ago, the shape of her eyes changing, nose looking more button like. Killian frowned at Emma like he had no clue who she was or why she was there.

"Who's this?" Milah asked him curiously, her voice sounding strange for some reason Emma couldn't quite place.

"I've no clue," Killian replied before addressing Emma "What are you doing on my ship lass?"

He really didn't know who she was? This was not a good start.

"It's me Hook, it's Emma" she tried, walking closer to the pair. Killian smirked, amused by the moniker.

"Hook?" he repeated sounding amused, letting both of Milah's hands go to approach Emma. "I think you've stowed away on the wrong ship lass," he informed her a little darkly. It was strange to see him with both of his hands as he gestured with them to her surroundings. Of course, he had both hands in this dream, why would he respond to his famous moniker here?

"With pirates no less," he continued, tittering at her "that's just rotten luck darling."

Emma took a step back from him at the slightly cruel twist of his lips, never a good sign. Two crew members appeared out of thin air, grabbing her by her shoulders and forcing her to her knee's while each twist an arm behind her back hard enough to almost make her cry out. Pain was real here, good to know. Killian returned to Milah, wrapping his arms around her waist and looking deep into her brown eyes while Emma struggled to get free. She couldn't help but notice even now that once more some of Milah's features had changed, nose a little longer, hair more curly. Hook looked like a man lost in a way that people only get when deeply in love.

"What do you say Milah? What should we do with our stowaway?" he asked her.

"Killian god damnit it's me!" she tried, trying to shake the hands of the faceless men off her, finding their grip cold and unyielding.

"I don't think we need another mouth to feed, overboard" Milah said, her straight hair blowing in the wind. Hadn't it been curly a moment ago? And her voice, higher this time, more delicate despite the harsh words.

"We could put her to work, free labour?" Killian suggested, spinning Milah with him as if they were dancing. He was so playful with her, so relaxed, happy. Emma felt a little colder then she had a moment ago, could feel some of her warmth fleeing her and was sure that was the opposite of good. Could he feel it as well? Did the vision of his wife compel him to ignore it?

_Emma let go!_

She clenched her teeth and pushed the voice away, _not yet_. She needed to get Hook's focus on her.

"I've kicked every ass on your ship once before Killian, your real ship! I'll do it again!" she spat as she tried to struggle free from her silent captors. His gaze was drawn back to her as she let the threat loose, his glare annoyed by her interruption.

"This one's got a mouth on her," Milah observed, eyes a different, warmer shade of brown now. A quick thought crossed the back of Emma's mind, wondering if her shifting appearance was because Killian couldn't quite remember her face anymore after so many years.

"Killian you are dying, this isn't real - none of this is real!" Emma almost yelled at him.

"A bit off her head as well," Killian added to Milah's observation.

"You really want to keep a crazy on board? Make her walk the plank," Milah told him dismissively. _Get him away from her…_

"God, was your _real_ wife this much of a bitch?" Emma asked between grit teeth. Like that Killian was there, kneeling in front of her with a knife to her throat.

"Mad or not, I don't tolerate disrespect towards my woman," he informed her menacingly as she swallowed loudly. He wore a nasty smile she found ill suited for his handsome face. Emma knew she could die in here, suspected she _was_ dying in here even now - but could she be flat out killed?

"Unless they have a death wish," Hook finished, each word very deliberate.

"… Sounds like my usual brand of gambling," she replied slowly. He made a face as if the words were vaguely familiar to him before chuckling.

"Quite ballsy for a lass,"

"I don't need balls, I've got brains - I think that's why you chose me." Emma shrugged, hoping to trigger something from him, some small recognition.

"Well your mouth is certainly smart." he said, eyes narrowing on her.

"This is possibly the longest conversation we've had where you haven't tossed innuendo at me," she observed, seeing she was pissing him off. Probably not the best thing to do with his blade against her jugular. She wasn't sure if he could or couldn't kill her in here but...

"Flirt with another women in front of my wife? Not very gentlemanly," he replied.

… In for a penny in for a pound.

"You're not a gentleman Hook, you're just a big pirate whore."

She held her breath, waiting to see how her words affected him. Instead of slitting her throat Hook actually smirked, shaking his head.

"Bravely sarcastic in the face of death, same old Swan -" he stopped abruptly, looking startled by his own words. Emma felt her heart pounding louder, she was getting through.

"Why did you call me that?" she asked softly, trying not to push his blade any harder against the delicate skin of her throat. Killian said nothing, face suddenly hard.

"You know that you know me," Emma insisted evenly, holding his gaze. He tore his eyes away from hers, like he found her eyes unnerving.

"You're under a curse Killian."

"… Should we show pity to a mad lass Milah?" he asked his wife over his shoulder. Emma steeled herself, she was going to shake him out of this delusion whether he liked it or not.

"Look at them," Emma demanded, flicking her eyes up to the two crew members holding her down on her knees. He did so slowly, frowning at the faceless men.

"How come they don't have faces Killian?" she asked as he slowly lowered the knife, stunned that he'd never noticed this.

"How did you get here? Where did you set sail from?" Emma pushed, seeing she'd managed to put some doubt in his eyes. He looked at a loss for words, like he couldn't remember the answers to those questions.

"Don't listen to her, she's mad!" Milah said coming to put her hand on his shoulder.

"You need to listen to me, this dream is sucking the life out of you. Right now, in the cabin of your ship - your _real _ship," she wanted to reach out and grab him, shake him to this realization before it was too late but she was still being firmly held by the faceless pirates. Killian refused to look at her, he shook his head as if trying to shake her words away from him.

"Can't you hear them?" Emma demanded desperately, referring the buzzing in her ears, the sound of voices still ringing. When he glanced at her, eyes a little wider, almost fearful she knew he did. He looked back up at Milah as she spoke.

"I'm sorry, I am. But this. Isn't. Real."

He continued to stare at Milah who was meeting his gaze as if confused why he was listening to Emma, her grip on his shoulder tightening.

"Killian?" Milah asked hesitantly. He looked away from her, gazing to the sea, saying nothing for a long tense moment.

_Please believe me Killian, please__…_

"You _are_ mad," he told Emma softly. She was losing him again.

"No I'm not Hook, we need to wake up," but he was already standing and turning his back to her, taking Milah's hand in an almost too tight grip as she lead him away. He didn't want to believe her she realized, he wanted to believe the lie. Emma grit her teeth so hard she thought they might crack as the faceless men tried to haul her up and drag her away. A surge of strength came to her with her anger then, anger at how he would go on trying to believe in something that was killing him. Emma wasn't entirely sure how but she slipped their grip. Free of their bruising hold she threw herself at Killian, tackling him from behind over the railing and onto the lower deck of his ship, landing on top of him with a hard thud. Emma was already on her knees as Killian was forcing himself to roll onto his back, winded. Emma grabbed him by the front of his shirt and yanked him up, slapping him as hard as she could before growling her next words into his face.

"You don't get to just quit!" she declared fiercely "Wake up!"

She expected him to try to hit her, throw her away from him but he didn't - he just glared up at her, angry and confused.

"She's not a dream!" he barked at her from between grit teeth. Emma grabbed his hand, his real hand, and before he could stop her she pressed it to her cheek, imploring him with her eyes to listen to her. The anger melted out of his eyes then as he searched her expression, her hand pressing his into the warmth of her cheek.

"I'm real Killian, and I am telling you we both have better things to die for than pretty lies,"

Emma saw her words hit a mark, stirred something in Killian. She didn't get the chance to see his full reaction to her words because at that moment the 'pretty lie' seemed to just materialize next to them. Milah grabbed Emma by the back of her shirt and tossed her like she was a rag doll across the now empty ship. Emma rolled a few feet before she hit the mast and had the air knocked out of her in a cry of pain. When she felt Milah's hand wrap around her throat before she could even gather her thoughts, yanking her up and slamming her back against the mast, Emma wondered if an illusion had enough power to kill her…

**...**

**I'm always like "But muse, we have to get to the conclusion I planned!" but my muse is all like "hahahaha, you'll end where I tell you to end."**

***flips table* You're mad muse! Mad I tell you! And then there's evil laughter. Soooo, luvs? ...**

***Runs away* You'll never take me alive!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry everybody - had to take my computer to the computer doctor - he wasn't feeling well. All better now! S****o I'm back - lets do it!**

**...**

One moment Killian was lying on the deck of his ship, staring up into a pair of pleading ocean blue eyes a man could drown in with his hand pressed into the warmth of her cheek, and the next she was just gone - torn away by Milah. She threw the blond like she was a rag doll, the girls cry of pain when she connected with the mast of the ship revealing the impossible strength his petite wife had. Milah looked down at him like she was reassuring him she would take care of this. He blinked and she was gone, he found her again when he looked to where she'd thrown the blond, already dragging the woman up by her throat. _How had she gotten over there so fast?_

The blond woman's eyes were wide as she pulled at the hand pinning and choking the air from her all at once, her feet kicking out to fight back. He couldn't explain why the sight disturbed him so greatly. It wasn't necessarily his wife's impossible strength, but the feeble struggling of that blond woman that sent a thrill of fear through him. No matter how Emma struck out at Milah it was as if none of her hits could connect, no matter how direct the kick.

Killian frowned - Emma? _I__…__ I know her? _No sooner did the question entered his thoughts images suddenly filled his mind, racing until he couldn't see anything else, blinded by scenes from his past -

_A bright sun lit forest, the blond with hard blue eyes leading the way. Grinning at her rebuffs and indifference, a worthy challenge. Leaning in next to her ear, the smell of her hair._

"_I like the way you say my name - in fact I__'__d love to hear you scream it__" _

"_I__'__ll make you walk at the back _Hook_, don__'__t push me-"__  
_

_Sitting around an old worn table with his crew members, trying to entice the same woman to join them in a game of cards, her stubborn attempt to convince them and herself she wouldn__'__t, the group effort to draw her in-_

_Surrounded by poisonous snakes, a lad about to shake hands with the reaper, locking eyes with her before all hell broke loose and a perfect understanding passing in the space of a heart beat- _

_Clever quick hands smoothing away an injury in his shoulder, the exchange of good natured barbs and banter all the while. The change in her expression, the small begrudging smiles when she looked at him - friend. _

_"How long do you plan on pretending you don't like me love?" _

_"Who's pretending?-__"_

_Snapping a pair of blades from her hands atop the crows nest with his sword on a dark night, those same hands holding onto his arm as she balanced precariously over a narrow edge of the rigging. Hard challenging eyes, spitefully glaring into his - enemy. _"_Same cloth right?-__"_

_His hook gently encircling her wrist as he pulled her arm towards him, her look of confusion and underlying suspicion as he cared for her injury, hand plucking the venomous stingers from her limb. _

"_Ever the gentleman.__" _

"_Always-__"_

"_Who__'__s Milah?__" __A tense moment where he knew she was going to pull it together, waiting for her to strike at the vulnerability. The surprise as her hand touched his shoulder and the conviction that flowed into her expression as she spoke. _"_You__'__ll get the one who did it-__"_

_Standing on his ship, the men unusually somber as they stood at attention. A body wrapped in a white sheet as he grit his teeth so hard his jaw ached, clutching the rail until his knuckles were white. Milah falling into the embrace of the ocean, a single tear no one saw falling from his chin to follow her overboard as she sank away from him forever__…_

All of it played out in his mind in the time it took his to draw that startled breath by the entire episode. He remembered, he remembered it all. Killian held up his arm to look at where only moments ago he'd had a hand - seeing the silver hook that had taken its place many years ago. He shut his eyes, a reflex - shying away from seeing the painful reminder of a truth he hadn't been free of in 300 years. He struggled to take the crushing weight again after its absence, even if only for a short while - when another moment from his past seized him, so vividly he forgot it was only a memory.

_Sitting in a dark tavern at a table, across from her. The way she looked at him, how those hard eyes seemed to look into him, playing the game in a manner that told him he was possibly in the presence of an equal, not a pawn. A sharp smile as she held out one of those clever sure hands and introduced herself._

"_Emma Swan...__"_

* * *

Emma thrashed in Milah's iron grip, kicking out and clawing at the hand cutting off her air supply but it was like trying to fight a dust cloud - her hits passed right through her. Emma's hand scrambled to her belt to pull the knife hanging there and drew it. As soon as she raised it however it disintegrated in her hand and slipped through her fingers like grains of sand.

"Sonuvabitch!" she choked. Black spots began to dance in her vision, limbs growing heavier by the second. She tried to cry out for help but found the curse she'd uttered had been a damning one, robbing her of preciously scant air. Was this really how it ended for her? Killed by the illusion of a dead woman? A strangely detached part of her mind couldn't help but think it was a bullshit way to die. Just as she was about to black out completely Emma thought she made out another person coming up behind Milah-

Killian grabbed her and wrenched her away from Emma, dislodging the hand choking the life from her. Emma's knee's hit the deck, her hands coming forward just in time to stop her from kissing the ground as she gasped for air. Hook held the illusion of his wife back from coming to finish the job.

"What are you doing!?" Milah almost screeched at him. He ignored her, looking to Emma instead.

"Are you alright Swan?" he demanded gruffly. Emma met his gaze and tried to answer, but ended up coughing instead when she tried to force more air into her lungs, world still swimming before her eyes.

"I was protecting you," Milah sounded confused, almost offended by the concern he was showing the woman who'd attacked him. Killian held her arm tightly even though she no longer made an attempt to go after Emma, his teeth grit. The sight shocked Emma, to see that he'd just sided with… _her_.

"Emma?"

Just her name, but spoken with enough tension to reminded her she still hadn't answered him, giving the impression with his expression alone he'd be helping her to her feet if he wasn't securing her attacker. Emma managed to drag a ragged breath into her lungs that didn't devolve into hacking before she held up her hand and gave him a half hearted thumbs up, not yet up to speaking. Hook nodded, a little tension seeming to seep out of his frame - until he turned his attention to Milah. Her expression was on of bafflement as she looked at the firm grip on her arm before turning her gaze up to his face.

"Killian?" his name sounded unsure on her lips. Emma was sure she'd never seen a look so raw on any mans face before, and likely never would again as Killian stared back at the ghost that he carried with him every day.

"You were never one to love a weak man Milah," he told her, voice some how soft and loud all at once. Emma felt darkness begin to fall and looked up to see that the sky had been consumed by the nothingness that had been waiting behind the cabin window earlier. A moment later it ate away the ocean, even the ship began to fade - the whole world was going out like a candle near the end of its wick. Emma forced herself to her feet while the goodbye unfolding before her, wishing she had the luxury of letting him have it privately.

"And a weak man would stay," Killian finished, a whisper Emma almost didn't hear. Milah flickered out of existence and then back again, a flame that didn't want to go out. Killian's grip on her arm was so tight he was sure if she'd been real he would be hurting her, he couldn't seem to let go...

He felt Emma's hand fall on his shoulder, a light touch that was almost not there at all. Yet there was a strength for him in that weight - enough to close his eyes and uncurl his fingers from Milah's arm. Emma watched as the ever shifting image of Milah flickered out of existence once more; this time she didn't come back. He didn't look back to her right away, eyes closed as his arm slowly fell to his side. When Killian opened his eyes and look back at her they shared an indescribable look in the quiet of a dead dream. There were no words for what passed between them at that moment. There was pain there of course, but he didn't want to talk about it - any of it. She couldn't really blame him for that - words fell short so often in the face of loss and goodbyes. Words certainly had no place for whatever else was there between them… but now was not the time. They had other, life threatening, issues to address.

"How are you here?" he asked, sounding astounded by her presence. That wasn't really one of them - but the answer was simple enough. At the same time it wasn't simple at all.

"Magic."

Hook frowned at her.

"Swan you don't have magic." he said. That had been her stance on the issue too, before her hands had started glowing.

"We can puzzle over the miracle later, when we're awake."

"Very well, how do we get out of here?" he asked, business like tone belying his desire to be gone from this place. Emma wasn't entirely sure, she'd hoped they'd just wake up once he realized it was a dream, but she didn't get the chance to tell him that because a cruel, almost snide feminine voice intruded upon them like some unwelcome douse of rain.

"Well, that was certainly touching."

Killian and Emma tensed as they took to sweeping the nothingness for the source of the voice and finding no one. She felt his hand bunching into the back of her shirt, jerking her back towards him abruptly - she saw why a moment later. A silver mist had begun to seep through the pores of the nothingness, pulling together alarmingly close to where she'd been standing. It thickened before their eyes, weaving together and solidifying all at once into an ornamented mirror. Its glassy surface was uneven and tarnished around the edges, showing not a reflection but rather displaying a woman. She was sitting on a white throne in a long black dress that was artfully cut to expose skin and tease the imagination, hair woven about the elegant yet delicate silver crown with a black lace choker around her neck. Her face was lovely, even sporting the expression of displeasure, her brown eyes were hard, unforgiving, and the smile she fixed upon her face was dripping with so much contempt one could barely label it a smile at all.

"Honestly," she continued "almost shed a tear there."

Emma could just about feel the air around Killian broiling with his rage, which contrasted the sharp cold words he replied with as he uncurled his fist from her shirt.

"So glad you enjoyed the show."

"Can't say I enjoyed the deviation at the end - you're still alive. Here I thought sending you off with your wife was so appropriate," she sighed dramatically, as if pouting.

"And here I thought cowardice would be ill suited on you, but it appears I was mistaken - peering into your curse from afar darling?" Hook tittered with a nasty angry grin. Emma wasn't sure in that moment who hated the Queen more, her for stealing her son or Hook after being taunted with his dead wife.

"Bad form your Majesty - very bad form,"

Her face tightened at the insult, lip curling as if to snort with derision.

"Enter the dream of my own curse? I am not a fool."

"You are not long for this world either," he told her, enough weight to the words to make them feel like stones.

"You think to threaten me Captain?" she hissed back, like she thought him daft. Hook looked genuinely amused by her question for a moment, as if a naïve child had posed it to him.

"I would never stoop so low as to 'threaten' your Majesty - I'm a man of my word."

Emma almost smirked, she couldn't have said it better herself.

"I'm not here to listen to a little dog bark,"

Emma however noted the slight hesitation before she spoke, like she was just a little unnerved by his words. She was sure Hook hadn't missed it either.

"I'm here to speak with you," The Evil Queen revealed, looking to Emma who glared hateful back.

"- Emma Swan, finally a face and name to the thorn in my side. You're not suppose to be here," she said as though she found her presence not only annoying, but unsettling.

"You caught me, I crashed - was feeling kinda left out," Emma shrugged with an insolent smile.

"I'll pass on the witty banter part of this exchange if you don't mind," The Queen said disdainfully.

"I'm passing on this entire conversation," Emma replied, to Hook she said "she's trying to keep us here - we need to get out now."

She had to suppress a shiver when she spoke, she was getting colder - not the best sign. The nothingness shuddered at her words, like the very fabric of it had been tugged on to make it ripple and stretch.

"The hell was that?" Hook asked, looking around them warily. _It__'__s breaking down _Emma thought to herself. The Evil Queen ignored the shudder completely to continue speaking.

"Unfortunately I require you alive so I will be brief and you will hear me out,"

Emma didn't care to hear a damn word this woman had to say but she was speaking before she could tell her so.

"I will make this offer only once Miss Swan - turn yourself over at the nearest port and everyone you love will be allowed to live."

Emma's glowering look turned her eyes to the coldest hardest blue Killian had ever seen.

"And if I don't?" she asked, voice almost a growl.

"I'll see to it you witness each of their slow and painful demises. That's a promise." Regina supplied with that saccharine smile of hers. Emma said nothing, staring back at into the mirror, Queen waiting for her answer. Killian said nothing, but she felt him tense next to her - he should know better than to worry by now.

"Yes well, I've seen how well you keep your promises," Emma said, in a calm that bordered on eerie. Fury burned like twin candles in the Queen's eyes almost instantly, turning her face dark as Emma continued.

"Now here's mine, I'd walk through hell fire if Henry were on the other side - don't think for a second I can't walk through you. I am coming for my son bitch."

Something flickered across the Queen's face, so quick neither Hook nor Emma caught what it was before she'd concealed it. The nothingness shuddered again, cracks appearing all around them, spilling fragments of light into the void - the way out.

"You will regret this child," The Queen told her calmly.

"One of us will. Glad we could have this little chat," Emma said before turning to Killian with urgency.

"We have to go, now."

"Indeed," he said, taking her hand as the world shuddered even more violently, pulling her with him as he ran for the light, turning their backs on the mirror and the seething Queen. They were seconds away from escape when the Queen yelled something out, something he didn't hear. Emma heard, he knew because she stopped in her tracks, her hand slipping out of his. Panic gripped him for a moment, he tried to snatch it back, pull her with him out but she was suddenly to far away and he was falling impossibly forward into the light-

* * *

It was like he'd been dropped from some great height as he jerked awake, feeling like he'd hit the ground at light speed and was now on the verge of death. Killian was blind as he drew in a violent gasp of air, almost like it was his first breath. The painful grip of the vines snaked around his hand slackened, allowing his hand to fall open and the seed to slip from between his fingers to clatter on the floor boards. His entire being ached, just blinking to try and clear his eyes of whatever was blinding him was painful. Hook's knee's almost buckled under him, two pairs of hand catching him by either shoulder to steady him as he stumbled back a few steps in an attempt to remain standing. Why couldn't he see? Where was Emma?

"Captain!" Smee's voice yelped to his left, no doubt one of the pair of hands keeping him up right.

"Captain, can you hear us?"

_Where__'__s Emma? _He tried to demand, but the words came out as incomprehensible hacking, his throat and tongue as dry as a desert and his voice weak. He blinked more to clear the darkness away, shapes beginning to form and make themselves out. Every passing second he felt better, strength and vision returning to him, the ache thrumming through his bones receding.

"His hair is turning black again!" Hook heard Peter exclaim in a stunned voice.

"He's becoming young again," Smee said, clearly shocked. Young again? What the hell were they going on about? Another few seconds later Killian was looking at the perfectly clear and sharp images of everyone in his cabin, gaping at him.

"I will never forget that as long as I live," Red said with big wide eyes. Hook was about to ask what that meant but Graham's anxious voice quickly made him forget the question entirely.

"Emma wake up, why isn't she waking up!?"

Oh gods, she hadn't followed him out. He saw her then at last - standing with her hand clenched closed, vines curled around her wrists to trap them together in a vice like grips. Her expression was almost pained, eyes squeezed shut and brows drawn, breathes quick and shallow as beads of sweat glistened at her temples on a face that was far paler than he remembered. Her blond hair had a streak of white in it, another lock bleaching before his eyes. It was still sucking the life from her as it had him.

"Emma!" Hook shook Smee and Peter's hands from him, finding himself standing with Graham and Red in front of her and not remembering moving. She'd let go of his hand, why had she let go!?

"Damnit Swan," he hissed under his breath.

"You left her in there you bastard!" Red quite literally snarled, eyes flashing amber at him.

"She was right behind me, she let go!" he spat back, reaching out to rip those fucking creeping vines from her wrists.

"You can't even touch them, we've tried!" Graham snapped, fear and frustration colouring his voice.

"Bloody watch me mate," Hook growled back, preparing to snatch at them and damn the bloody consequences - he'd try until he couldn't. Just as he was about to begin, Red grabbed his wrist and stopped him. Hook had never outright hit a woman in his life but he very nearly would have changed that fact right then had he not seen why she stopped him. The vines were… bubbling? Curling in on themselves as they seemed to burn; in mere moments they'd withered away - turning to ash and fluttering to the floor. The white streaks in Emma's hair disappeared, returning to their natural blond as a healthy pink blush rushed into her cheeks. When her eyes opened Killian let out a breath he hadn't even realized he was holding as relief swept through him like a wave.

"I think I need to sit," Emma told them all with a slight slur in her words. Her eyelids fluttered and Killian lunged forward to catch her just before she hit the ground, carefully lowering her down to the floor while everyone crowded around.

* * *

There was just no elegant way to phrase it, Emma felt like shit. Her legs gave, she wasn't sure who caught her but she was pretty sure she didn't hit the floor so someone must have. Emma was having trouble keeping her eyes open, everything was blurry - even when she _really_ tried to focus on one of the many faces above her. She could hear Graham saying her name, was he patting her cheek? Trying to bring her round? Someone else was stroking her hair…

"Swan,"

Was that Hook?

"Swan, look at me."

Sure, which one are you?

"Emma? Emma are you ok?"

Oh hey, Peter was here.

"Talk to us Emma,"

Why did Graham sound so stressed?

"Get her to the bed,"

Of course, Hook would be the one to suggest getting her into a bed.

"We shouldn't move her," Red argued. God why were they all making such a fuss? All they needed to do was just go away and let her catch a few winks…

"I'm fine," Emma mumbled, with the slurring it sounded more like "_emfine._" She reached up a leaden arm to shoo them all away so she could get some peace, talking was far too exhausting right now.

"Ow!"

She may have just accidentally poked Peter in the eye.

"Sorry Rebel." _Sah-ree Rehbel._

"Love, you are not fine," Hook said. More hair stroking - was that his hand?

"Juss tired," she muttered back, half heartedly rolling her eyes. there was a quick moment where the blurriness cleared and she saw Killian's face. _Hey, he's pretty again_ her mind said. Ok, really needed that nap then.

"Don't you ever do that to us again Emma."

Wow, Red sounded pretty pissed, what had she-

Oh... Right. Emma remembered why everyone was freaking out. Curse, magic, the dream and of course the dying. Hook was there, so she'd obviously succeeded in pulling him out. With magic… nap now, she'd dissect that one later. But… there was something important she had to tell them, something she'd heard before she'd escaped the dream. Think Emma, really think; before the mirror had shattered the Queen had said something-

Whoa, someone was picking her up, moving her somewhere. Were Graham and Hook arguing? Something about Graham not wanting to put her in his bed? Fine, put her back on the floor she wasn't picky. Now the Queen, what had she said? Ok, who the hell was touching her face now? She started to focus on the blur-

No, concentrate - this was important, this was really important and they had to know. The Queen, she'd said…

_I'll find you, I have eyes and ears __**everywhere **__child._

Those had been the words that had stopped Emma cold - she had eyes everywhere, and the way she'd said everywhere had pulled her to a stop. It made a lot of sense, how else could she have gotten her curse onto the ship? Emma reached her arm out again frantically, she wasn't sure how much longer she could stay awake and she wasn't sure if she would remember this when she woke up. Emma grabbed the someone touching her face blindly and with what little strength she had she pulled whoever it was down close so hopefully they would hear her. Someone tried to pry her hand loose but she refused to let go.

"Spy… ship…" she said into whoever's ear it was, trying to muster all the strength she had into the words which unfortunately wasn't much. Then she was lost into the blissfully unaware grip of unconsciousness.

* * *

Fine? Did she actually just try to tell him she was fine? Her eyes seemed to wander among the faces of everyone in a glazed manner suggesting she barely saw them and Hook almost wanted to slap her; he was certain Emma would claim to be 'fine' even if she'd broken every bone she had. Also she'd just poked Peter in the eye and not on purpose.

"Love, you are not fine," he replied evenly. Emma blinked owlishly up at him, eyelids at half mast.

"Juss tired," she slurred back, attempting to roll her eyes and looking dizzier for the effort.

"Don't you ever do that to us again Emma" Red snapped at her threateningly, relived and angry all at once. Hook was fairly certain moving her wouldn't cause her any injury, he'd get her into his bed, get some water in her and maybe some food. He could go into the dry stores for something a little more substantial than gruel he thought, a proper meal would help her recover faster-

"I got you Emma,"

Graham shouldered Hook out of the way, scooped her into his arms and stood with Red pulling her hair from her face. Hook was blocking his way before he could take more than half a step.

"Where the bloody hell do you think you're taking her?" Hook demanded. Graham met his steely gaze with his own.

"Somewhere to rest," he said coolly. What Killian wanted to do was rip her out of his arms and the only reason he didn't was because he wasn't sure if it would hurt her to do so. His desire to have Smee and Peter throw him overboard was less easily restrained, hell he'd prefer to do it himself. He managed to exercise some control over the urge - barely.

"Excellent, my bed is there," Killian said as he pointed to it. Graham shook his head.

"I don't think so _mate_,"

If Hook got through this conversation without throttling this man he'd be inclined to call it a miracle.

"Don't insult me, I'm not going to ravage her while she's unconscious," he sneered. Graham's eyes narrowed.

"Step aside pirate."

It was getting really hard to remember reasons why he wasn't allowed to hit Graham right then.

"Exactly where are you taking her? The dining hall? Emma doesn't leave this cabin till I'm satisfied she's fit too," Hook told him firmly. There was a low thrumming that sounded like a growl coming from Red. He didn't care if they didn't like it - he wasn't budging on the damn issue. Peter moved between them then, not to break them apart but rather to see Emma.

"I should check her eyes, I want to make sure they aren't damaged," Peter said, turning both men's attention to him instead of each other.

"I noticed she's kind of having trouble looking at us," he explained while Emma's lidded gaze wandered aimlessly. The observation was enough to put the pissing contest on hold, sure they both knew Peter was actually just trying to refocus them and likely nothing was wrong with Emma's eyes. But… better safe than sorry - and Peter knew that.

Smart kid. Hook nodded to him and leaned in as Peter pulled her lids back to get a better look at her eyes. Emma's hand reached out and grabbed a fist full of Peter's shirt in a flash, the lighting reflex drawing a startled noise from him.

"Whoa Emma, easy!" Red said, grabbing her hand and trying to pry it open. Emma was having none of it as she pulled Peter, who didn't fight, down to her. He held up a hand to halt Red's attempt to free. Hook watched as Emma whispered something in his ear before her eyes closed completely and she passed out.

"What did she say?" Hook and Graham demanded simultaneously. Peter pulled his shirt from Emma's grasp before standing upright, looking confused.

"I don't know."

**...**

**Look at me and my muse, getting along... it's not going to last. God help us all when the truce buckles, lol. I labor under my own curse you see, (aside from being delightful) and that curse is me taking the scenic route on the love road. I'm always uncertain when we hit the metaphorical half way gas station that says 'we're almost home.' Especially when there are still issues on the scenic love road! Flat tires! Pot holes! The driver locking the door and unlocking it, but then locking it again right when you try to open the door after going to the bathroom until you want to slap them! (my muse drives this car by the way) so I hope I'm doing all right on that front :D **  
**Shout out to Dealingdreams for making a fantastic photo set with a quote from "The Daring And The Devious," it was wonderfully feelsy! Much luvs you guys, thanks for reading and reviewing!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Uhg, sorry I was gone so long everyone! Life is getting busy for me and it's not easy for me to find time to write of late - regardless thanks so much for your patience! Extra long chapter for you guys - hope you guys like :D **

**...**

Emma found herself coming too in stages, a strange sensation considering that as far back as she could remember she'd be able to come awake at the slightest foreign noise. She was aware of the bed and then a slight rocking sensation as if it were not on solid ground. The last thing she realized before she tried prying her eyelids open was that she wasn't alone - someone was just sitting on the edge of the bed. Emma's eyes shot open instantly, sitting up and scrambling away from whoever it was, ingrained instinct kicking in sharply. The person coming to sit next to her almost missed the bed with a yelp, jerking back from her. Half a second before Emma curled her hand into a fist to slug the intruder she recognized who it was.

"Damnit Peter you scared the shit out of me," Emma said on an aggravated sigh, un-clenching her hand to rub her eyes.

"Scared you!?" Peter repeated incredulously as he watched her try to clear her head of the weighty fog one had after sleeping too hard for too long.

"You're the one coming out of a dead sleep flailing!" he accused.

"I did not flail," Emma said defensively.

"Course not, obviously you were just stretching and spontaneously seized," he replied sarcastically; it was like Peter was only comfortable showcasing his sarcasm when alone with her. She quickly took note of her surroundings, seeing that they were alone which struck her as a bit strange, even more so when she realized she was still in Hook's cabin, in Hook's bed.

"Where is everyone? Where's Killian?" she asked.

"The Captain is fine. After the first hour of the Captain and Graham getting into a row every five minutes Red threatened to eat anyone who continued hovering," he said, unscrewing the lid of his canteen.

"Said if they wanted to quote un-quote 'long-cock each other' they could do it outside."

Peter handed her the canteen as she processed this. He was alive, fine. Well if Killian was engaging in pissing matches with Graham he must be in good health. She found a tension she'd apparently woken with going out of her at the thought - she'd pulled him out in time.

"Yeah, that does sound like Red's version of tact. I'm surprised they listened."

"Her eyes got glowy, I had the distinct impression she wasn't kidding," he said, own eyes widening a fraction at the thought.

"Also I'm pretty sure Hook only left because at least Graham had to go with him."

Emma wanted to roll her eyes - men.

"Wait, what are you doing in here then?" Emma asked. A touch of nervousness flickered through Peter's brown eyes as he messed a hand into his shaggy hair.

"Red's getting sugar biscuits from our stores, I snuck in for a progress report," he admitted.

"Oh Hook's orders or just for your own curiosity?"

"Can't it be both?" he asked almost wincing.

Emma was almost startled that Killian would order such a thing, that he wanted to know for certain that she was ok. She smothered the budding warm feeling with a cold dose of reality - he worried because he still needed her, nothing more, nothing less. Honestly she didn't want to think about what was happening between them still, even after everything that had happened. It… confused and unnerved her, and as with most things that were doing that lately she found herself trying to shove it to the back of her mind. Emma was about to take a swig from the canteen when the smell hit her.

"Peter is this whiskey?" she demanded suspiciously.

"We're on water rations," he said by way of explanation, blasé attitude about the fact he had alcohol rations.

"You're sixteen! The hell are you doing drinking whiskey?" Did he almost roll his eyes at her? He jabbed a thumb at himself for extra emphasis.

"Pirate," he reminded her bluntly; much bolder with no one around.

"Pirates drink rum," was her bright almost non-argument.

"I like whiskey," he shrugged.

"Well rah, rah, little Rebel,"

"Do you want some or not?" he asked, like he was considering taking a toy back from a kid. Emma gave the canteen one more slightly disapproving look before nodding a thanks and taking a measured sip. She winced at the sharp burn, how was this kid not tanked? She looked around a little more now that the heavy curtains in her head seemed to be pulling back, the lanterns around the room were all lit and outside the window it appeared to be night.

"How long have I been out?" Emma asked trying to hand him back his canteen.

"Thirteen hours," Peter told her, making no move to take it. No wonder she felt so spacey.

"How are you feeling?" he asked sincerely. _Like I need to sleep for the rest of the month. _Which was probably because of… magic.

"Besides having a sudden case of the abracadabra's I'm peachy," Emma muttered, abruptly a little bitter while giving in to taking another sip of whiskey. Emma didn't know how she'd done what she did, but it had been with magic - another surprise she was less than fond of having to deal with right now. At first Peter looked like he wasn't exactly following, then frowned when he caught on.

"Maybe it's not sudden?" he suggested after a moment.

"What do you mean?"

"Well you told me once that magic didn't work in the forest," he said slowly as if just working through it now, however it sounded like he'd actually been putting more than a little thought into it.

"And now you're out of it, really out of it for the first time…" he trailed off like he was going to let her draw her own conclusion from that. Emma found herself scrutinizing Peter and she wasn't entirely sure why. She only realized the scrutiny was perhaps a moment too long when she found him returning it.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing. Just a good point." Emma said with shake of her head as she took another sip of the whiskey and winced - why did she keep drinking it? She tried to give it back to Peter but once more he didn't take it back.

"Emma do you remember what you said to me before you passed out?" he asked, brow wrinkling with curiosity. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"What do you mean? I was awake at one point?"

"Sort of, you grabbed me a bit frantically and tried to say something in my ear," he told her. Emma looked to the bed sheets as she tried to recall but the last thing she remembered was Killian grabbing her hand and yanking her into a run - things got blurry after that.

"I don't know, what did it sound like I said?"

"Sly and slick," he answered. Emma stared at him.

"Rebel that makes no fucking sense," she said. He raised his hands in a 'what can I say?' gesture before taking his canteen from her.

"That's what it sounded like. You _were_ kind of out of it though - you poked me in the eye."

Before she could reply to that the cabin door opened and Peter shot to his feet like he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Red stood there, holding a brown paper package as she first glared at Peter, then noticed Emma was awake, eyes lighting up.

"Well look who's finally awake!" she grinned. Red jerked her head too indicate the open door too Peter.

"These glad tidings prompt me to be merciful - scram while it lasts pup," she advised cheerfully.

"And don't you dare tell the other two," she warned him as he moved past her with haste, closing the door behind him. Red took up his previous spot on the bed next to her, reached forward and flicked Emma on the ear.

"Ow!"

"That's for worrying me," she explained calmly, pulling her feet up as she unwrapped her spoils.

"You look rested," she observed, shoving a sugar biscuit into a annoyed Emma's hand as the other rubbed her ear.

"Thirteen straight does that."

"That it does."

"Heard you been taking charge," Emma smirked, taking a bite of the sweet bread; Red snorted.

"My threat was enough to give you space, not enough to get those two to stop acting like peckerwoods to each other." she said, taking a biscuit for herself.

"But enough about that. Now, we could talk about what the hell happened thirteen hours ago -" even as Red was saying it she could see how her face closed down at the suggestion. She didn't blame Emma in the least for it, crap just kept trying to bury her it seemed. She could understand how all of it was starting to weigh on her. What her friend probably needed was a little levity right now.

"-But I know you prefer to tediously mull over and dissect these things by yourself, so instead…" she trailed off as she picked out a biscuit for herself and smiled evilly.

"Lets talk about how it's going to be hard for you to 'bump uglies' with Hook, you know, since we both saw there's not an inch of that man that isn't fine as hell."

"… I can not believe you just said that to me."

* * *

Peter barely got more than five steps from the cabin and out into the cool night air before Hook was cornering him with Graham only a step behind. Peter kind of expected that of course, neither man had been able to hide the numerous glances they directed to the cabin door - no matter how busy they tried to keep. They were both wound a bit too tight, thank god they'd been mostly steering clear of one another Peter though absently.

"How is she?" Hook demanded, wanting an answer and wanting it without preamble; leaving Peter straddling the line of disobeying an order or pissing off a werewolf.

"She's doing better, Red thinks she should be up soon," he reported carefully. Not a lie.

"How soon?" Graham asked.

"She didn't say."

He saw that both men were only barely satisfied by this answer - he could tell that Hook was only going to be allowing being bared from his own cabin for so much longer. He knew his Captain well enough to know when his patience was wearing precariously thin. Hook gazed at the cabin door, like he could look through it with his jaw clenched, deciding whether or not to just go in. He knew there was nothing to be done and that she was in fact going to be fine, but he wanted to be in there all the same. At the same time he felt like he… _shouldn't_ be there, though he couldn't put his finger on why exactly. He knew if Graham followed him in he might snap, his animosity towards Swan's friend was only growing - and he knew the feeling was mutual.

"I guess we can pick up where we left of then," Graham said to Peter with a sigh. He had little to occupy his time during the day and even less now that it was night with only a few men keeping a run of the ship. Graham had taken to sparring with Peter, teaching him some hand to hand to pass the time. Peter had been all to happy to oblige him, he had been a tutor to Emma at one point after all - who better a teacher? Peter was just about to give him some reply when he heard Clark yelling for him.

"Peter Pansy! Quit dancing with the passengers and help us tie some bloody riggings' down."

Peter grit his teeth before giving Graham an apologetic look, stomping over to where Clark stood with Carver.

"It's Peter _Panse_," he spat at them.

"Pansy suits you better," was Carver's gruff unsolicited opinion.

"Shut up Carver, no one likes you," Peter snapped, only serving to make both men laugh. That left Graham and Hook just standing there.

"Guess you'll have to get a new dance partner," Killian said aside as he turned to walk away, unable to help himself from making some nasty jab while in close vicinity to the other man.

"I hear your men could use a few more dance lessons," Graham returned pleasantly. Hook chuckled but the sound was far from amused.

"How unfortunate they surpass you in that regard as well then, still rendering you useless."

Graham grit his teeth, staring at Killian's retreating back.

"I'm sure Emma will spar with me, some preparation to protect her back from the Captain of this ship."

Killian stopped walking but didn't turn to face him, the lanterns around the ship seeming to stretch and pull his shadow about him.

"Ah yes, the pirate thing-"

"You're beneath her Hook."

Hook's frame was very suddenly carrying a tension that had not been there before, heavy leather coat hanging on his statue still shoulders. Graham had said it as bluntly as possible, partly just to twist a knife; the other part because he was close too Emma, like a brother - it was more than Hook was ever going to have and he wanted him to know that. He saw how he looked at her when she wasn't watching him - when hell froze over. He wasn't going to give this bastard a chance to rip her damn heart out or worse; a man like him couldn't be trusted. Graham was unaware however that Hook was not a tolerant man with goading of this nature - and he was considerably less tolerant than usual. All Killian really knew at that moment was that he wasn't going to let that one slide.

"Perhaps," Killian acknowledged after a moment. There was a long pause before he spoke again.

"You and I haven't verily found opportunity too get to know one another," Killian's voice was chilling, not turning to face him. He looked to the helm of his ship and nodded at the red capped Smee, who seemed all too quick to guess what his Captain wanted from him.

"And they say you learn a great deal about a man-" he continued, snatching at the items Smee tossed to him before turning around. Graham tensed a little when he realized the 'items' had been a pair of identical swords.

"-By how he wields a blade," Hook finished, throwing him one. He caught it reflexively, watching Hook warily as he did. Graham ran his hand along the edge as Hook began to circle him slowly, finding the edge blunt - paper had more potential to cut. Practice blades.

"What say you _boy_?" Hook asked with a scathing emphasis, "Shall we introduce ourselves?"

He refused to turn as Hook circled behind him, instead looking over the weapon as a few pairs of eyes turned to them, noticing the growing tension. Even Graham knew this wasn't going to lead anywhere good.

"I don't care to know you at all Hook," Graham said dismissively.

"Most men don't on this court." The words were a hair away from implying cowardice.

"But you gave the lad on my crew a lesson today, one good turn deserves another." Hook circled back around into sight, turning an unpleasant smirk in his direction.

"I believe you're long over due a lesson _mate_," the last was an outright sneer. Graham's lips thinned to a tight line.

"One of us is," he replied as he took the en garde position. Hook looked a touch surprised to see his opponent had even the basic knowledge of sword play. However basic knowledge wasn't going to help him much. Graham swiped out his sword, much like he would if he was wielding a rather large knife, coming in close to deliver the blow to his middle. Hook didn't even bother to use his sword, bringing up his hook to catch the blade before driving his knee into Grahams ribs, shoving at his blade so that he stumbled backwards. Hook's steel flashed out and landed hard on his wrist whilst he was trying to regain his footing. He hissed as pain burned right through into his finger tips, if the blow had been much harder it may have broken something - if it had been properly sharpened Graham would have lost the hand all together.

"Keep the hand behind you boy, else end up the cautionary tale," Hook chastised, waving his namesake at him mockingly. Graham flexed his fingers with a glare, ribs still aching from the dirty hit. Hook swaggered forward as if in no real hurry as Graham raised his sword again, watching the weapon in Hook's hand carefully as they faced off once more.

Hook feinted to his left, Graham instantly moving to defend leaving his right side vulnerable. Hook lunged at the opening lightning fast, striking a painful blow just above his hip that almost staggered him a few steps.

"Fight the man - not the blade," Hook said, like he was speaking to a child "watch me or witness yourself being impaled."

Graham felt his blood start to boil at the sheer arrogant condescension in his voice. Hook struck out again and this time their blades met, Graham parrying the blow in such a way that it redirected the force of the hit so Hook ended up surging past his opponent from the lack of resistance - giving Graham his back.

He swung hard, aiming the blow between his shoulder blades. He was surprised when Hook reached over his shoulder blindly, as if he knew exactly where he intended to hit him, and stayed Graham's blade with his own. Pulling his arm up and forward in a thrusting motion his sword flung Graham's away from him, pivoting on his toes in one fluid motion to swing his sword at neck height. Graham ducked, simultaneously swinging at his knee's that Hook had to jump to avoid.

Every eye was on them now, watching the spectacle as the fight grew more heated, the traded strikes more quick, the pretense of merely sparring slipping as tempers boiled. Graham caught Hook in the jaw with an uppercut as soon as the opening presented itself, repaying him for the knee to his middle and sending him reeling away from him.

"You should keep your guard up," Graham advised when Hook spit blood "if you can't manage that just keep your jaw loose," he taunted.

"I'll keep that in mind," was Hook's black reply.

When Graham met his gaze he realized he may have made a mistake; the pirate was done playing - which was disheartening in the few moments before he attacked, because it meant he _had_ been playing.

He moved so fast it was a wonder Graham could parry any of his vicious strikes - but that was all he _could_ do, because Hook gave him no opportunity to do anything else. Graham was being forced back with the sheer relentlessness of Hook's attacks, knowing he had to tie this because winning was clearly out of the question. With the small opening he was afforded between blows he pressed forward and met Hooks' steel with his own, locking the swords between them in such a way that if either backed off it would expose their chest for a fatal strike - tie. Or so Graham thought until Hook brought up his opposite elbow and slammed it into his face, knocking him to the ground. He tasted the blood seeping from his newly split lip as he tongued the wound gently, looking up at Hook from where he lay, point of his sword posed above the base of his throat. the blade itself was not sharp, but the point still had potential to draw blood - the threat here was real.

"I suppose it was too much to ask for you to fight with some honor," Graham snapped, remaining motionless on the ground. Hook didn't smile or even look smug as Graham had expected him too, his eyes were cold and his face hard as he glared down at him.

"Smee," Hook almost barked, not backing down from his threatening position over him.

"What happens to those more concerned with honor than victory?" he asked.

"Mostly Captain? They die," Smee answered dutifully, eyes flickering between the two men. Hook leaned down closer to him while Graham scowled up, emphasizing just exactly who was below who now.

"Here endth the lesson."

He tossed his sword to the side, letting it clatter loudly to the floor before he turned without another word and retreated like the wrath of a dark storm cloud to the helm of his ship. Graham slowly got to his feet and wiped the back of his sleeve over his lip, feeling a shade humiliated and many more shades angry as he watched him go.

"I get the feeling we just missed something."

Graham looked to Red's voice and found her exiting the cabin with Emma in tow. The feelings of only a moment before seemed to disappear as he moved across the deck to his friend and embraced her.

"Thank god," he sighed. Red shrugged

"Call me Red, everyone else does."

Graham pulled Emma back from him and held her by the shoulders to look at her. She gave him a half smile, like he was being just a little ridiculous.

"You're ok?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

"Little tired still but yeah, A-okay," she shrugged.

"Good." He pinched her shoulder - hard.

"Ow! What the hell was that for!?" Emma snapped, shoving his hand away and rubbing at the throbbing skin. First Red and now him - they deserved each other.

"Don't you ever scare us like that again," Graham ordered, pointing his finger at her to stress the point. The pair of them could be so unbelievably annoying sometimes.

"I can't believe you just pinched me! What are you seven?"

Emma's brow furrowed after her words, forgetting them entirely like something had suddenly distracted her.

"What happen too your lip?" she asked. Graham almost gave into the urge to shuffle uncomfortably. The loss to Hook had been a blow to his pride, he found himself reluctant to share the tale - it felt strangely like tattling. The quarrel was between them.

"I was sparring with Peter earlier," he answered honestly as Red moved past Emma to examine the injury.

"And he got inside your guard?" Emma said doubtfully.

"Kid learns fast." Also true. Emma of course knew this, but she knew Graham better and had played this game before.

"Yeah, I'm sure he does," Emma said, eyes hardening slightly. She knew what he was doing where once she would not have - she didn't call him on it. If he wanted to be evasive about a split lip than let him. Red gently brushed her fingertips over the cut, making Graham wince. Amber flickered through her eyes so fast Emma was almost uncertain it had happened at all.

"I'm fine," Graham assured her, taking Red's hands in his.

"All the same, I'll remind him to play nice," she said lazily, like it wasn't a conversation high on her too do list. Emma however couldn't help but notice she didn't specify who the 'him' was. Emma knew who the 'him' she had to speak with now; she almost asked where Killian was but decided at the last second it was a pointless question, she'd felt his eyes on her the moment she'd walked out of his cabin. She turned to meet that gaze and was surprised when she couldn't. He stood at the wheel of his ship, a silhouette in the darkness.

* * *

He watched Graham hug her and as usual found his hand white knuckling the wheel of the ship in response. He thought knocking him about might have made him feel better and it had, but now he was doing something Emma would never allow him to do and he was… jealous? His frown deepened, what was happening to him? Emma yelped and than smacked his hand away, turning his frown to a half hearted smirk. Red was examining Graham's face when Emma turned, as if she'd known the whole time exactly where he'd be. Her eyes almost met his even though he knew he was cloaked in darkness. Emma muttered a few words too her friends before she approached him, snagging a lantern on her way over.

"Some kind of ambiance you have going on over here Jones," she said as the flickering yellow light pushed the darkness away from him, illuminating his features and revealing his eyes. Emma seemed to give him a brief look over, like she were appraising him.

"Look at you, still pretty; You know for a few minutes there you actually looked your age," she informed him somewhat sarcastically.

"Hmm - the horror," Killian smirked as his eyes raked over her. The yellow light was soft and warm on her skin, shining against the ocean in her eyes.

"Are you sure you should be up?" he asked, noticing the very slight tremor in her hands as she put the lantern down.

"Please, if you can swagger about your ship I'm sure I can crawl out of your bed," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Most women can't manage even that after a day in my bed," he grinned.

"Seriously? We've barely hit the five second mark on this conversation," she said with a stony look.

"Is that a new record then?" he asked grinning wider.

"Yeah - you're the five second man Hook," she said brightly, like she didn't realize her own double meaning though he knew damn well she did. "Congrats."

"Emma Swan, saucy as ever," Hook winked.

"You're not funny, just so you know," Emma told him. There was a brief silence between them. He waited for her to say something, knowing they needed to discuss the events that had happened between them during her daring, near impossible rescue. It appeared however Emma didn't feel the need to speak on those events just yet.

"When do we reach this portal?" she asked.

"Tomorrow," he replied, hesitating only a moment at the question. He'd let her get around too the matter in this conversation on her own time.

"I must warn you, it will not be an easy commute."

She pressed the heel of her hand to her brow as if trying to push an ache away.

"Of course it won't," she sighed "cause god fucking forbid anything be easy," she muttered.

"It's your first time realm jumping, correct?" he asked, ignoring her irritated remark.

"You know it is."

"Well you never forget your first," he said, very nearly making it sound as if he was commenting on something else entirely. Emma was fairly certain if she was a three hundred year old pirate she'd have a double a meaning for everything too.

"The portal on this side is unstable, it's rare to survive too the other side," he continued one, explaining the risks to her.

"Oh joy. I hear a but coming," she said, watching his face.

"But," he obliged with a nod "this ship is made from enchanted wood, and I've travel this portal before." he fixed her with a look, like he didn't want her to get too comfortable regardless.

"It'll be a rough landing all the same. Once we get too Neverland we have one day to get whatever your weapon is."

"Why one day?" she asked slowly.

"The portal on this end is always accessible, but it only opens up into Neverland when someone goes through it," he explained "It takes a day for the opening one used to enter Neverland to close, very easy to become stranded there." He looked as if he were recalling some memory from his past, almost a brief nostalgic moment.

"It takes around one hundred and fifty years to open the portal up from Neverland's side to return back here - I don't believe you have that kind of time." he observed astutely.

"No, I don't." Henry certainly didn't. Emma looked for the sea chart, wanting to know exactly where they were even though she knew they wouldn't reach the portal till tomorrow. She realized rather quickly that Hook was not using the chart she'd drawn their heading on - he wasn't using a chart at all.

"You're not using the chart," she pointed out, like somehow he'd missed that it was missing.

"Don't need it love," Hook said simply, looking straight ahead into the inky darkness that melded with the ocean. Emma was irrationally irritated by the brush off answer.

"Well, nice to know I got spooky with your maps for nothing," she almost snapped. At his mischievous look she quickly added.

"One innuendo Hook - I fucking dare you."

Killian merely raised an eyebrow in response. "You're terribly cranky after your 13 hours naps, aren't you love?"

Emma looked like she very much wished to hit him, even so there was a hint of a smile she was trying to smother.

"If you'd told me we were headed to Neverland you never would have needed to get 'spooky' with the sea charts," he said with a shrug. This confused Emma, with nothing but water for miles around how did anyone navigate without a sea chart?

"How?" she asked. Without warning he wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her to his side, leaning forward and blowing the flickering flame in the lantern out. Emma shoved his arm off her almost immediately.

"What the hell Hook!?" she growled.

"Relax Swan, I'm answering your question," he replied calmly, pointing to a cluster of stars in the clear night sky.

"See those stars?" he asked, face almost next to hers, "We're following the second star to the right, straight on till morning," he said, glancing at her expression as he lowered his hand. Emma appeared surprised by the revelation, as if she'd never considered looking to the sky for direction. With the lantern out they seemed brighter,

"Navigation by stars." Emma said, sounding like she wasn't really speaking to him. "They're all the maps I've ever needed," he answered anyways. She kind of… liked that; the idea that no matter where you were lost, if you could turn your gaze to the night sky - to the lights burning there - that you would be able to guide yourself home.

_Home, where the hell that was now?_ Emma wondered briefly. The silence stretched on between them for what felt like some time, not uncomfortably. It should have been though; she should not feel… content in this moment. How could she feel like this after what he'd done? Here Emma was, making all the same mistakes again.

"Thank you," Killian said, breaking the silence and interrupting her thoughts. He watched as her expression cooled, saying nothing.

"If it weren't for you I'd be dead," he finished - voice soft, tone sincere.

_If not for her_ she thought; Because a part of her - a foolish naïve part of her - desperately demanded she save him. Emma could say it was because she still needed him because it was true. However that had been the farthest thing from her mind when she'd been trying to pull him back. Emma was exposing her back to his knife again, like she'd done before - she was actually letting him back inside her guard. She truly was a fool.

_Never again Emma._

"Don't read too much into it Hook," she said dismissively, turning away from him. "If you need me you know where I'll be."

Hook couldn't help but be a little stunned as she made to leave, both by the brushing off of his thanks, something he thought for sure she would relish in, and the realization that Emma was actually going to try to avoid this subject all together.

"Running away from it then, are you Emma?" he asked bluntly. Her walk slowed but she didn't stop.

"From what," she asked over her shoulder.

"The reason you risked your life for mine," he answered. That pulled her to a stop.

"Nasty habit of mine I'll admit, trying to quit," she shrugged insultingly.

"Love, be flippant about everything else, but not this," he said, shaking his head.

"What part of don't read too much into this was unclear?" she asked, still staring straight ahead.

"We both have better things to die for than pretty lies," he said, repeating her words back to her.

"I know what I said Hook - I heard myself say it," was her dead pan reply.

"I think I heard you better."

_Never again Emma, never again! Don't ever forget what it cost you the first time _she thought as she turned on her heel, teeth grit as she marched back until they were toe to toe with each other, so she could look him dead in the eye.

"We've never had the chance to clarify exactly what this partnership was so allow me - I am using you," she nearly hissed "I am using you to get my son and in turn you are using me to get your revenge." Killian's jaw tightened at her words, silently locking gazes with her.

"That's why I saved your life, I need you alive. Remember that next time you feel any of those warm fuzzies, pirate." she sure as hell would. Emma walked away and he still said nothing, watching her climb up to the crows nest - the place she felt safest he'd realized.

"_Your kindness buys you nothing. But I promise you, your betrayal will cost you dearly.__"_

He was beginning to see now just how dear that cost was.

* * *

Graham had gone off eventually to go find a place for him and Red to lay their heads. She'd let him go off alone because she sensed he needed to sulk about something, but now she was bored and subsequently she was searching for him. Red had seen him go below deck - _I hated ships_ she thought while she continued to get lost. After this she would never get on another ship again she promised, opening what felt like the hundredth door to peer inside for Graham. Red had finally found someone, but that someone wasn't Graham - It was Peter.

He stood there freezing as her eyes landed on him, in the middle of prepping the messenger hawk on his arm with a scroll. His entire body was tensed as he and Red silently looked at one another.

"Hello Peter."

"… Hi Red," he answered, voice sounding a touch strangled. Red's eyes flickered to the bird and back to him as she slowly walked in, closing the door behind her and leaning against it with crossed arms.

"You smell frightened Peter," she observed, tilting her head curiously, "Something the matter?"

He lowered his eyes guiltily.

"No."

"I may not be of Emma's caliber at detecting lies - but I don't recommend testing me with them all the same," she warned him seriously.

"... I'm, uh, not suppose to be using the Hawk," he admitted sheepishly.

"Yes, I gathered that" Red smiled, the expression empty and a little menacing.

"It's just that…" he began trailing off, looking at his feet for a moment.

"We could die," he blurted out, meeting her eyes again. Red said nothing so he continued to stutter his was through an explanation.

"I don't want my brother to be left wondering if he'll ever see me again if he won't."

"A brother?" Red asked, sounding surprised "older?"

Peter nodded. "If I don't contact him for a month I want him to know I'm dead."

"Don't most people want to assure loved one's they're ok?" Red asked.

"It's better he know than be left wondering," he said, his tone almost pleading with her not to out him to the Captain for this sentimental indulgence. Red's stare almost seemed to burn through him, head still tilted curiously.

"What's his name?"

"Dave."

"… There is far more too you than meets the eye, isn't there Peter?"

He appeared confused by her words, like he didn't know what she meant. All the same Red stretched lazily, like she'd grown bored with the conversation.

"Have you seen Graham around here?" she asked. Peter shook his head, Red shrugged with a slightly warmer smile.

"Than I have no business down here," she said, opening the door to leave "carry on."

Red saw the tension leave Peter with a small smile on his face before she returned to looking for Graham. When the door closed behind her however the expression he wore was far more sober, more serious than anyone would credit to him of all people. He quickly sent the bird off through the small port hole in the wall, watching it fly off into the night.

**...**

**Muse: You ready for the shit I got planned?  
Me: *Puts on sunglasses* Come at me bro  
Muse: *Dons sunglasses* bitchin'**

Thanks for reading and reviewing guys! Much luvs! :D


	10. Chapter 10

**Free time + creative burst + my mind = this.**

**...**

"What the hell are you playing at Rumple?" The Evil Queen demanded in a hiss, standing by her perfectly trimmed tree as she cast him a dark look. Rumple sat lazily in a chair, fingers laced together with his feet propped up on an ottoman. He looked very comfortable and giddy for someone who had only appeared there mere seconds ago. He tilted his head with that grin of his plastered on his scaly face.

"Playing at my Queen?" he asked with insincerely feigned confusion. Her expression almost twitched with rage, she drew the knife from the scabbard's usual place strapped to her forearm, a sharp singing of the steel greeting her ears.

"Kneel imp," she spat between clenched teeth. Rumple's smile wilted, a dangerous glint showing in those eerie reptilian eyes. He swung his legs off their perch to stand in one graceful movement, then with an overly dramatic flourish he took to his knees - turning the submissive gesture into an asinine one. The Queen ignored his manner because she knew, with her holding the knife that bared his name, he could never disobey her. His mockery was all he had because _she_ wielded all the power here.

"I've just heard something very interesting Rumple," she began as she approached him. "Would you care to hear what I've learned?" Regina asked, walking a slow circle around him, knife still in hand.

"I quiver with anticipation," Rumple replied as she stopped to stand behind him.

"Emma Swan has a son."

He tittered at her as if scolding a child for not doing her homework.

"Fairly certain she doesn't Dearie."

Her hand lashed out, grasping a handful of his hair and yanking it back to press the only knife that could kill him to his throat. He surprised her a little by laughing, that mad trilling giggle of his.

"Oooo, bit tense are we?" Rumple asked between snickers.

"Enlighten me Rumple - why is Miss Swan under the impression Henry is _her_ son?" she demanded icily.

"Haven't the slightest Dearie," he shrugged airily. She pressed the knife in harder, a pointless gesture as it were. He knew she wouldn't kill him - she enjoyed having him as her lackey too much.

"Don't lie to me!" she almost screeched.

"Never majesty," he answered. _Never lie, _he thought to himself almost gleefully,_ when ambiguous truths are so much more effective._

"You finding Henry was no accident, was it?" Regina pressed. Certainly not, Henry was a very important piece in this game - it hadn't been easy to lure him away from Emma in that forest. The evidence of his apparent 'death' had kept her put in the forest; where he'd needed her.

"Of course it wasn't Dearie, you wanted a child and I found you one - it was all very much on purpose," he told her as if he wanted to roll his eyes.

"Don't mock me, why did you choose him?" she asked, her tone freezing. _Two birds one stone your majesty - what better way to ensure Miss Swan come against you full force, putting her on the path towards her purpose?_

"He seemed ideal?" His underlying tone of false confusion concerning the reason for this interrogation angered her, put her off balance - he must know _something_.

"Why does she think Henry is her son?" she repeated. _Well to be fair, she adopted him long before you did._

"Tentative insight to the future I may have majesty, but into another's mind I do not."

Another painful yank on his hair, an unspoken order as the knife dug in deeper and drew blood.

"It is entirely possible she knew Henry before I found him, he did reside in an area very close to the forest." Rumple suggested tightly.

"Emma Swan was alone in that forest for years - a lonely soul like herself may cling to whatever human contact she came across."

Yes, the whole scenario was _entirely_ possible. The Evil Queen was silent for a moment, pressure of the knife lessening, allowing the cut to heal almost instantly.

"He's not her son?"

_In everything but blood he is._

"His birth parents are dead your majesty, this I know as irrefutable fact." Silence. Regina had ordered him never to lie to her and to never attempt to kill her. With the cursed knife, currently against his neck, in her possession these were orders he could never disobey. These were the things that assured her he told the truth and of his status as a non-threat. Henry was hers - and hers alone; Emma Swan was merely a hermit crippled by her starvation for human contact. Intent on _her_ Henry? Not while she breathed.

"So very possessive Dearie," he remarked. Possession was the closest her mothers curse could get her to love, it frustrated her and he knew it; But if she could be loved and posses the one who did she would take it, that he also knew.

"If I didn't know better I'd almost call it motherly concern."

Regina released Rumple abruptly, almost sending him reeling forward onto his hands.

"Get out," she sneered, sheathing the knife as she made for the luxurious seat in front of her mirror. He rose in one graceful motion to his feet, brushing at his fine attire and wiping the trickles of blood from his skin absently .

"As you wish," he answered with another of his over embellished bows.

* * *

Henry was making his way to the Queen's chambers when the doors opened with a groan, expelling Rumpelstilskin from the room. Their eyes met and where as Henry's narrowed slightly in ill concealed dislike, Rumple grinned his grotesque secretive smile. The door closed behind him loudly, like some gale from inside had slammed it behind his slight frame. Henry corrected his path to pass him but Rumple seemed to conveniently move back into it just as they were about to go past one another.

Henry tried to go around him again but he slid back into his way, blocking him more deliberately, still grinning.

"Henry - how is my favourite little royal?" he greeted with that stare that was altogether more than a little unnerving.

"Fine, excuse me." He tried to move past him once more, only to find Rumple once again barring his way.

"Something I can help you with?" Henry asked in a clipped voice, patience for the sorcerer's games low at best.

"Terribly un-princely, refusing to exchange simple pleasantries Henry," he chastised with a wave of his finger.

"There is no such thing as 'simple pleasantries' with you," Henry said coolly. _Quite right boy, quite right._

"Never did much like the beast of this castle did you?" Rumple observed thoughtfully.

"I never much liked the unscrupulous bastard of this castle," Henry corrected. Rumple put a hand over his heart, exaggerating a gasp as if the words wounded him. He giggled when Henry looked unmoved by the show.

"Oh Henry, so brave, so gallant -" he leaned forward so he was uncomfortably close to him, wide dark eyes burning into him. "So stupidly pointless," he jeered.

"Finished?" Henry asked dully, exaggerating his lack of interest. Rumple almost smirked, the young man was not nearly as easy to play as Regina.

"By all means," Rumple said, stepping from his path with a theatrical gesture to proceed on his way.

"Your mother desperately desires your presence," he told him as Henry walked past.

"Do say hello to her for me, will you?" Rumple called after him. He looked back as the sorcerer continued on his way, confused by the request.

"You just spoke with her," Henry called back.

"Did I?" Rumple mused absently "Silly me," he said, smirk hidden from him as he turned the corner.

* * *

Henry stood in between his mother and her mirror as she looked him over, she had been eerily silent the whole time and it was beginning to ware on him. Henry cleared his throat a bit uncomfortably.

"You, uh - wished to see me?" he asked uncertainly. Still Regina said nothing. Her mother Cora's curse had given her strength by banishing weak emotions, it's why she had the resolve to get rid of the threat Cora herself had presented. But her late mother had forgotten one feeling that could still cripple her - loneliness. It was why she needed Henry.

_He is mine._

"What do you know of Emma Swan?" she asked finally.

"Only what you've told me - she is an agent of the white kingdom trying to sew discord to weaken us so they can exploit the vulnerability to invade," Henry answered dutifully.

"Have you ever met her?"

Henry frowned, "Not in recent memory."

"Before recent memory?" she pressed.

Once more Henry appeared a little confused. "Forgive me majesty but after the accident my past became a mystery to me."

She almost smiled at his answer, whatever was in the past was lost - Henry was hers. The Evil Queen planned to drive that point home to that insufferable little princess.

"I have learned Captain Hook's destination and rerouted three royal ships to intercept him," she informed Henry, changing the subject abruptly as she stood and gently placed her hands on his cheeks.

"Lead the men in her capture, then sink the ship and its crew," she ordered. If Emma Swan truly loved Henry her capture at his hands would be all the easier and sweeter. If she wasn't and he died… well in the end he would have still been hers. Henry hid his frown from her, he always disliked the ruthlessness she ordered of him; but she was his Queen and his mother - he had little choice but to concede to ruthlessness.

"How am I to lead these men if they are en-route and I'm here?" Henry asked as she lowered her hands to her side.

"Deep breath Henry, the trip can be rough."

He barely had the time to blink at her answer before she shoved him, sending him reeling back into the mirror that swallowed him whole as if it were water rather than glass. It was like falling through molasses before he was dropped onto the wooden deck of a ship, spat out of an identical full length mirror. He was trying to regain his bearings while he gasped for air when he noticed a sailor stood next to said mirror, as if he'd been expecting him. He snapped off a salute while Henry was still on the ground.

"Welcome aboard sir."

* * *

"Swan! Get down here!" Killian called out from the base of the mast. Emma had been in the crows nest all night and most of the morning. After the attack, and damn close call, in his own bloody cabin he didn't like having her out of his sight for so long - it made him nervous. He received no response but he damn well knew she was up there still - his crows nest was done being her hiding place from him.

"Swan!"

A hand reached out over the edge of the bucket at the top and even from this distance he could tell she was flipping him off. He grit his teeth together as he grabbed some rigging and prepared to climb - if she was going to be stubborn about it he'd drag her out. She'd be angry but she'd also be safely in his sight at least. A hand fell on his shoulder, halting him just as he was to begin climbing. He glared back at the hand with a harsh word on the tip of his tongue, fully expecting to see Graham being a pompous white knight. Which was why he was so surprised when he saw that pale face with long black curls grinning at him, harsh words faltering.

"Easy handy man," Red chirped "I'd hate to see you fall."

Hook gently shook her hand from his shoulder.

"As touched as I am by your concern milady, I've made this climb before," he told her.

"Really? Ever make it with a feisty blond looking for an excuse to toss you at the top?"

Hook hesitated, looking Red over at her words. He took this moment to evaluate her as he had yet to do, size her up, habitually searching for weak spots though he had no plan to push any of them; at the moment. Red knew exactly what he was doing, and he could see she didn't much care - very cocky this one.

"Emma is very used to being in a solitude heavy environment, she's still adjusting," Red shared with him, looking up to where Emma resided.

"Also you're on her shit list, if you go up there like an overbearing prick she might use some of that new found magic to wartify your pretty face." She sounded like this thought amused her.

"Are you telling me to give her space?" Hook asked, disliking the idea of anymore orders not given by him. Red laughed, surprising him yet again.

"Hell no, she needs a gentle push - just don't be dumb about it boy-toy." Hook raised an eyebrow at her, trying to figure out exactly what angle Red was using here and why.

"Graham can't get me far enough away from Emma, yet you push me in her direction with pointers," he said "why are you on the side of a man who once betrayed your friend?" he asked suspiciously.

"Oh little pirate - I think we both know you're not the same man you once were," Red chastised with a smile. Hook felt his expression harden, he didn't like that observation into him, it was almost as deep and uncanny as Emma's perceptive scrutiny.

"You didn't know me before," he pointed out, flashing her a dark smile that simply screamed 'I'm a dangerous, bastard pirate.'

"Cute - but I know a new man when I see one," she shared, unperturbed by the show he gave her. She met his gaze with something approaching serious.

"Something real is there, you know it and she knows it - that's how I know it. Emma deserves something real." Red took a step closer to him, not invading his space but more like she wanted him to hear her next words better.

"Speak with your actions Hook, clean up your mess."

Red nodded to the mast, prompting him to get a move on and start climbing. He only hesitated a moment before obliging her, beginning the climb with her words ringing in his head.

"Oh, and Hook?"

He looked below him to where she still stood grinning, a little unnerved to see her teeth looked just a mite too sharp to be human.

"If you touch my lover again I'll be picking pirate out of my teeth before you can say Yo-Ho and a bottle of rum," she informed him cheerfully. Red turned on her heel and skipped away with a wave.

"Toodles!"

* * *

Emma knew she couldn't stay up here forever but every time she tried to come down she found herself unable to actually… do it. When Hook badgered her from below she found herself even less amiable to the idea. Was she was actually hiding up her she wondered as she absently put her hand over the edge and flipped Hook the bird when he called her name a second time. Emma never thought she had it in her to be such a… coward.

It was just so quiet up here, nothing but the wind whistling in her ears and through her hair and god help her it was nice to forget what a shit storm her life was right now. Still, Emma acknowledged, sooner or later she had to come down and stop acting like a child. _Face your problems Emma _she scolded herself, readying to force herself out of this-

Hook suddenly clamoured over the edge and popped into the bucket with her before she could blink. Speaking of facing problems…

"Fancy meeting you here!" he greeted brightly, as if surprised to see her.

"Piss off," Emma replied in a growl.

"I see your reluctance to come down," he continued blithely, reaching into his jacket for his flask as he looked out on the ocean with her.

"The sea view tends to enamour, a siren call for some they say," he said, offering her the flask only to have her pointedly ignore him.

"It's water love, you haven't been drinking nearly enough, you of all people know the dangers of that."

"Last time I accepted a drink from you I took a rather impromptu nap," she said, sweeping her hair from her face. "Pass." Can't say he'd expected much less. Hook popped the cork with his thumb so it hung by the cord and took a swing.

"See? Safe," he said "but lets give it a minute, just to be sure." They stood side by side silently for a moment before he spoke again. _I'm using you _she'd said, lashing out at him.

"I know you're angry, hurt even-"

"I'm not hurt, hurt implies I care," she told him, to which Hook scoffed.

"Of course you care," he said, like she was being ridiculous "We were different birds of the same feather - only I was more of a bastard." he sighed then, like it was a weary truth.

"I knew that from the get go," Emma answered.

"Ah, but there in lies the rub doesn't it? You forgot along the way." Emma said nothing, because that was the painful truth.

"I regret the way I felt I had to go about my revenge and the path itself. I can keep saying it - but it won't change much."

"No - it won't" Emma agreed "So why are you bothering?"

"Oh, I'm not going to say it anymore," he assured her. He was going to take Red's advice. "You're going to get your son, I'm going to get my revenge - and along the way I'm going to prove you can trust me."

Emma laughed derisively at that.

"Yeah - good luck with that."

"I'm not jesting," he said seriously.

"Ok - why?" she demanded, turning so she could look him full in the face. "Getting what you need from me not enough for some reason?"

He slowly turned from the view to look at her as well.

"We are both getting what we _want_ - whether we trust each other or not. But I think you know why I _need_ you to trust me Emma." She didn't miss the emphasis in that statement. He offered her the flask again.

"I've neither collapsed nor died, I believe it's safe love."

Emma didn't move to take it, watching his face. Then, slowly, she reached out and took it from him and he rewarded her with one of his dazzling smiles.

"We should be arriving shortly, see you at the bottom," he said, making to climb out of the crows nest. But just as he tried Emma reached out and grabbed him by his coat to stop him. He looked back but she wasn't looking at him, her gaze was fixed on the horizon.

"We have a problem."

Hook looked with her at these words and felt his stomach drop. Three ships were on the horizon, they weren't making an approach but they didn't have to be - they were between them and the portal, in fact they were guarding right about where it should be. Killian would eat his hook if that was a coincidence - he could practically smell the Evil Queen's royal soldiers from here.

"That is unfortunately a gross understatement Swan."

* * *

Hook was issuing orders before his feet even hit the ground.

"Men, get below and ready the cannons, everyone else get these sails fully opened yesterday - Smee fetch my cutlass!"

"What the hell is going on?" Graham asked Emma as she lightly dropped the last few feet to the ground.

"The Queen's royal welcoming party is dead ahead," Emma said shortly as Red joined them both.

"How many?" Red demanded instantly

"Three ships."

"How the hell did they know where we were going?" Graham asked, obviously floored.

"Excellent question," Emma said, following after Hook who was already at the helm. "One problem at a time." Emma finished, Red and Graham on her heels.

"How long?" Emma asked, coming to stand before the giant wooden wheel that Hook was now manning.

"Five minutes before they're in range of our cannons, give or take," he answered, eyes fixed on the horizon, ships growing like the threats they presented as they drew closer. Emma looked with him, surprised by how fast they were moving. She hadn't realized how fast the Jolly Rodger was until she'd been given a marker to measure her by.

"Plan?" she asked.

"Send Regina's bloody errand boys to the bottom of Davy Jones locker."

"That's it?" she asked, like she thought surely he had more than that.

"As plans go it's pretty straight forward, I'll give you that," Red said with a blasé shrug.

"My god man, I'm not a expert on naval warfare but even I see we're out gunned!" Graham added from between grit teeth.

"They won't fire on us," Hook told him.

"How can you possibly know that?" Graham demanded.

"Because we have Emma," he explained calmly, eyes tearing away from the ships to look at her. Emma looked surprised by this information.

"What?"

"They want you much alive Swan, firing on us with you onboard is reckless." he nodded to the ships as he went on.

"They won't give chase because somehow they know we need to get past them, somehow they know about that portal," that seemed to perturbed him greatly.

"I don't see a portal," Emma observed, squinting head - it looked as if the three ships guarded thin air.

"You wouldn't, not till it was dead in front of you," Hook answered. "They're going to force a confrontation and board us, but this ship is the fastest in the realm - I'm going to dance around these fools and serve them a generous share of pirates iron," he said, as if he looked forward to it. That when Smee came running from below deck, holding Hook's cutlass. He was out of breath and his eyes were too wide, instantly everyone knew something was wrong.

"Captain, someone's disabled the cannons!"

"What!?" Hook snarled, snatching his sword from Smee.

"Someone sabotaged them during the night, they're useless!" A brief quiet followed hook's first mates words.

"Well, there goes the simplicity of plan A then," Red said in a droll voice. More darkly she added "You've got a leak in your ship Hook."

"One I will be plugging permanently when this is over," he vowed in a growl.

"Now what?" Graham asked tightly as the ships loomed ever closer.

"Swan?" Hook said her name like a question, drawing her attention. "Can you do… anything?"

It took Emma a moment to cleave to his meaning.

"I've just barely discovered I have magic via a fluke that put me on my ass for thirteen hours and you want to know if I can somehow find it in me to stop three of the Queen's royal fucking ships?" her expression was incredulous.

"Yeah, I'll get right on that."

"Thank you Emma, a simple no would have sufficed," Hook told her with annoyance. He looked out to those ships, two moving in preparation to sidle up on either side of his ship and board him while the other hung back, a slight bending of the air the only sign it was continuing to block off the portal to them. His ship was fast but he'd been steering her in anticipation of a fight. With the two ships nearly on them it was too late to turn and run, they had a few minutes at best to receive their unwanted guests. He addressed Smee, still standing near for his new orders.

"Get everyone on the main deck, _now_" he said, sending Smee scrambling.

"Peter!" he called out alternately as he spotted him, already preparing for a fight before he came to his Captains call.

"Yes Captain?"

"Fetch our guests some steel," he said looking to his three passengers seriously. "They're going to need it."

Peter nodded and hurried off to find spare blades while Hook took to directing the three of them.

"You best pick a defensible position now," he advised them. He came out from behind the wheel and grabbed Emma's arm before she could follow Red and Graham. She looked at the hand and then up at him, he watched Red and Graham go before he spoke.

"I want you to get in my cabin and barricade yourself in," he told her seriously. Her answering expression was un-amused

"You're hilarious, seriously, regular comedian."

"People are going to die today - there's no getting around that," he told her with blunt honestly.

"But if they get you off this ship they will sink it and everyone on it - then we'll all be dead."

_I need you safe Emma..._

"I'll be very sure not to be taken then," she assured him coldly.

"Emma-"

She shook her head, cutting him off "I don't hide, not while my friends face death and certainly not when I'm a damn good fighter." Her eyes nearly burnt through him with the vehemence they held.

"Besides, you can't afford to spare me, not when we are this grossly outnumbered." She pulled her arm from his grasp and went to join her friends who were currently receiving swords from Peter, Red already looking to have refused. Brave and loyal, a fighter to her core Killian reminded himself as he watched her join his men. Maybe that was why he loved her. His entire frame went rigid at the absent thought.

_Oh gods…_

* * *

Peter spotted Emma's approach and came to meet her, offering her the hilt of a sword.

"Sorry Rebel, I'm a brawler, swords not going to help me much." He reached to his belt without hesitation and offered her a small hatchet.

"I'll watch your back Emma," he swore to her as she took it from him, "count on it."

Emma placed a hand on his shoulder and looked into his big brown eyes.

"Peter if you want to help me you just survive this - by any means necessary, understand?" Because she was not going to be ok if something happened to him today, she could feel it. Wide eyed he gave her another solemn nod, like he still planned to protect her.

"Promise me Peter, any means necessary, that includes leaving me behind."

That did not sit well with Peter, she could tell.

"I promise."

Liar.

"God damnit Rebel-"

"Talk to your friends," he cut her off "I'm going to pick a spot with a view." he smiled before ducking past her before she could say anything - she was going to fucking kill that kid. Graham was holding Red close as she continued to make her way over to them.

"Be careful," Graham said, staring into her eyes like he'd memorize their every detail. She smiled up at him, that devil-may-care-but-I-sure-as-hell-don't up turn of lips that was all Red.

"Haven't you heard Graham? Only the good die young." She put her hand on the back of his head an drew him down to kiss him fiercely. When she broke it they both looked a little short of breath.

"Do me a favour lover - be bad today." Red pulled out of his arms just as Emma came to stand with them. There wasn't time for pre-emptive goodbyes if the worst should happen - none of them would ever want to hear an admission this could be it.

"Always were a drama queen weren't you?" Emma asked Red instead.

"Feeling left out? Give us a kiss then," she said making a grab for her.

"Get off me you mutt," Emma said pushing her away and making her chuckle - strained as the sound was. It was how Red asked if Emma was ready, it was how she wished her luck - with a joke. Without another word Red disappeared in a cloud of blue black smoke and a large black wolf was left him her wake, slinking off like a menacing shadow of fur and teeth. Graham grabbed Emma's hand and gave it a squeeze, saying much with no words at all.

"Don't die," Emma told him simply.

"Do my best," he promised, turning away from her. Emma did like wise and was surprised when she almost ran into Hook. They both just… looked at each other, there was something different in that second, a realization in his eyes as he looked at her. Emma couldn't quite figure out what it was in this calm moment before the storm.

"We might die," she said, fully taking that fact in for the first time instead.

"We all die some day Swan," he replied. Emma's eye hardened with resolve.

"Not today," she declared, bring a smirk to Killian's face.

"My sentiment exactly." He gave her his back as he faced starboard, drawing his sword and whirling it before firmly gripping the handle. The Queen's ships cut through the water, sliding in next to the Jolly Rodger. The tension was so thick you could have cut it with a dull knife, air so charged with the impeding violence she felt the hair on her arms standing on end.

"No one gets Swan off this ship!" he yelled to the men as Emma faced port, pressing her back against his. She heard the mad smile in his voice, the same one he'd shown her on the silent path, felt the fervour for a fight coursing through the muscles of his body with her back pressed against him. It almost flowed into her as Emma raised her hatchet and drew the knife from her belt in reverse grip, watching the second ship lined with soldier armed to the teeth waiting as they came into position.

"Give them hell lads!" Hook bellowed "And educate the Queen why you don't pick a fight with pirates!"

Swords and voices were raised as one in a battle cry, a howl filed the mid morning as the screech of wood being shredded by grapples from assailing ships rent the air. The charge in the air snapped - and all of hell broke loose.

**...**

**I know Red is really OOC in this, but I like the idea of a cheery, slightly sociopathic werewolf tagging along on this adventure. *Shrugs* Have a great weekend everyone!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks to my friend Emily for all her help with this chapter! To all my readers - I did the best I could, I really hope it's enough and I did alright. This is a battle, it got violent. Enjoy?**

**...**

Killian felt as though they were back at the lookout point all over again. They fought soldiers instead of snakes this time, but that same knowing of each other was there. He exposed his back and Emma was there to cover it, she ducked and his steel flashed over her head to dispatch the fool who thought to get the drop on her. They fought like they were one. So when Killian felt someone's back press against his again, he didn't have to look or hear her speak to know it was Emma, even in the hellish chaos of battle. He was faced against the two enemies he was about to engage when he heard her yell.

"Trade!?"

Killian was so caught up in the heat of the fight he didn't think twice about her request.

"Why not?" he yelled back. Like they'd rehearsed the move a thousand times before he pressed his left shoulder back and pivoted while she did the opposite, seamlessly trading places without losing any ground. Which was when he realized the man Emma had now pawned off on him was twice his size.

"Swan!" he barked, eyes wide.

"No tradsies backsies Hook!" she answered, moving to make quick work of what had moments ago been his two opponents. The larger man glanced briefly to note the hook where a hand should have been and gave Killian a nasty smile, like he found the idea of fighting a man with one hand amusing. Hook found himself glaring back, that snide amusement had just sealed his fate.

_The bigger they are…_

The man swung his sword at Killian's neck with such force that even if it had been the dullest blade in the world it would have killed him. If it made contact that is. Killian ducked under the wide swing, moving into his guard before he even finished his follow through and drove his blade deep into his side. The man gave a strangled cry. Killian jerked his bloodied blade back before sinking the hook he'd sneered at only moments before into the side of his neck and yanking down to slam him to the deck. The man made no move to rise and likely never would again.

… _the harder they fall. _No time to revel, there was no shortage of enemies for his steel today he thought as he pushed forward.

* * *

Soldiers poured in from both sides to crush the pirates together near the mast, staggered under the overwhelming pressure of so many opponents. Emma had never been in a fight quite like this one. The clash of swords and screams filled the air until she thought she my go deaf, it was complete chaos. The world had become a blur of multiple enemies, her focus narrowing to an adrenaline haze where all she had time for was acting and reacting, losing track of where she even was in relation to Killian.

She slammed her knife hilt into the temple of one attacker only for another to take his place, dispatching his replacement with one well aimed strike of her knife while yet another soldier came at her with his sword already raised. She crossed her hatchet and knife to catch the down swing of his blade and lock it there before she kicked him in the privates, tearing the sword from his hand with one violent jerk. It skittered away as he collapsed in pain and still More soldiers crowded in. Two began circling, trying to split her focus and descend on any opening she was forced to give them. Emma shifted her stance as she was forced to choose which one to focus on.

As soon as she did the other charged her exposed back, an attempt to grab her from behind. Anticipating this she dropped to one knee to escape his arms, slamming her elbow as hard as she could into his ribs before shooting back to her feet and ramming the top of her head into his chin - one more down. Barely standing his partner tried to exploit her lack of balance and tried to get a jab in with his sword, a mere wounding blow. Emma lacked in nothing. She hooked his blade with the back of her hatchet and redirected it to speared the third man about to join the fray through the heart. Her knife took his throat before he even had time to look shocked by the unintended skewering of another soldier.

A mere breath of reprieve sent her gaze searching, wanting even the briefest glimpse of her friends to assure her they had survived at least this far. She saw Killian, farther from her now the before. Three soldiers were against him now; he parried two separate blows at once before slipping into the smallest opening between them all, pressing every inch of it to his advantage. He buried his hook in one mans neck while his blade lashed out to open the others stomach, delivering a nose breaking head-butt to the third - all in the blink of an eye. He turned his head in her direction to meet her gaze, like he could feel her eyes on him.

Without looking away he ran a man through with his sword, freeing his hand to grab a throwing knife from the soldiers own belt. Too her surprise he threw it in her direction. Emma barely had time to flinch, let alone show any surprise, before the tiny blade flew over her shoulder and impaled an attacker about to tackle her in the throat.

"Pay attention Swan!" he shouted in a rough voice, the heat of the fight radiating from his every pore. Hook pulled his sword from the dead soldier's gut, letting him fall to the deck before flourishing to engage another trio of soldiers in battle, a reminder that Emma had no time to gawk about her. Just before she returned herself to the fight she caught a glimpse of Carver being cut down. It wrenched at her focus as she had to turn away, forced to fight on like she hadn't seen it at all. It was a distraction she was unaccustomed to fighting with, since mostly she fought alone. Now she wondered if every lifeless body that hit the deck was one of her friends. With her enemy growing numerous the only one she should have been worrying for was herself.

The back of her hatchet smashed into a soldiers face with a satisfying crunch, her foot crashing down simultaneously on his partners knee and feeling it break. Her knife swung out at a third man who only barely avoided it, still more were closing in on her, she was being overwhelmed. Her eyes flashed out among the battle, hoping to meet eyes with someone to signal she could use a little help. However, what she saw only crippled her focus further. Peter was ten feet away in the fight for his life, a soldier towering over him. He was barely managing to thwart each vicious blow of the mans sword. His arm was tiring, even Peter's sword looked close to breaking under the abuse; he was going to be cut down in a matter of moments.

Emma felt the weight of a shadow to her left, taking advantage of her hesitation, raising the hilt of their sword to strike her with. Time slowed for a few precious seconds to make a choice, she could raise her hatchet and block or she could save Peter with it. Not much of a choice at all really.  
Emma aimed for Peter's opponent instead of her own and threw the hatchet. She watched it cut through the air, end over end hitting her mark, burying the blade right between the soldiers shoulder blades.

A brief moment of satisfaction as she watched him fall was followed by the consequences of her choice. Pain exploded at her temple, sending her stumbling. Instantly something wet ran down her face and into her eyes, semi-blinding her. Emma lashed out instinctively with her knife in a panic, trying to ward off potential attackers while her other arm swiped across her in an effort to clear her vision. It was now a blur of enemies she couldn't quite see closing in on her, spurring her knife to slash even more frantically at thin air. One weapon shorter than she had been a moment ago, beginning to tire, and now what she suspected was her own blood obscuring her vision - the odds were looking grim. Emma still found she didn't regret her choice, gritting her teeth and squaring off, half blind, to keep on fighting.

That's when the shadow of black fur and sharp teeth dropped in to save her ass. Red's claws scrabbled on the deck as she skidded between Emma and the soldiers, using her momentum to slam her flank into a man and send him flying almost a comical distance. In a flurry of speed Red's jaws fastened on the nearest uniformed man and shook him like a rag doll. Screams grew louder as soldiers tried to fend the newest threat off but no one was a match for Red's viciousness. Snarls and screams deafened her as she desperately wiped at her eyes to see what the hell was going on when she felt a hand grab her forearm.

"Emma come on!" Rebel?

She just made out Peter as he pulled her through the opening Red had created via the soldiers fleeing her fury. Sight compromised Emma had no choice but to follow him as he lead her precariously through the fight, with only glimpses of what was going on around her for a few moments she was properly afraid. Finally her eyes began to stay clear and she saw two pirates using the narrow stairs to the helm, where Peter was leading her, as a choke point to funnel their attackers to them one at a time. One was waving Peter towards them while she stumbled to keep up. The pirates rushed them up the steps they used too hold the helm, the only battle free zone left on the ship, before closing the way behind them with their swords once more.

"Are you ok?" he asked, sounding out of breath.

"Damnit Peter, me and Red had that!" she snapped sharply, mostly out of shame for the fear she'd felt. She pulled her arm out of his grip and pressed her sleeve to the cut at her hairline while Peter ignored the admonishment, ripping his shirt to wipe the blood off her face and dab it from her eyes.

She sighed, feeling like an ass after he'd effectively just saved her. Guess she wasn't the only one eager to balance scales.

"Sorry Rebel."

"Already forgotten. How bad is the pain?" he asked her instead. Emma couldn't actually feel it yet but that was probably because she was riding an adrenaline high.

"It's just a scratch," she insisted, knowing head wounds had a tendency to bleed a lot and look worse than they actually were. It wouldn't take long to stop all together.

She turned away from him to go back they way they'd come, intent on rejoining the battle. Peter grabbed her arm again and yanked her back, hard enough to shock her a little.

"You are getting clobbered out there, they b-line for you recklessly enough that it just might get you killed," he said, gesturing to her blond hair and clothes that marked her apart.

"We need you alive Emma." It wasn't what he'd said but how he'd said it that prompted her curious look. Before she could say anything however another figure emerged from the stairs. Emma brandished her knife instantly at the man until she recognized it was Killian, sheathing his sword as he approached her.

"Tea time already?" he asked the pair of them lightly, face flushed from the fight. Emma followed his lead and sheathed her knife.

"Wasn't my idea," she answered as he stopped in front of her,

His eyes moved to a streak of blood on her forehead Peter had missed when wiping her face.

"You alright love?"

"Flesh wound" she assured him, still pressing her sleeve to her hairline. Killian frowned, grabbing her chin and turning her head gently as his hook carefully pulled her arm away to examine the laceration that still bled, though more slowly now at least.

It wasn't very big, but he could see it would still impede her in a fight.

"I see our guests need a harsh lesson in manners," he said darkly, letting her chin go.

"Lets go teach them some," Emma suggested, making to move past him. He stopped her easily, pulling a scarf from his belt and pressing it to her hair line to stem the bleeding.

"One thing at a time my love." He nudged her hand with his hook back up to take the place of his. Emma was still too distracted to notice the small change to the old endearment.

"Hold this," he instructed. Emma didn't _want_ to be tended too, she wanted to get back in the fight.

"We don't have time for-"

"I said _hold it_ Emma," he cut her off sharply, tone brooking no room for argument. Gritting her teeth with frustration she complied, holding the scarf to her head as he searched a pouch at his side for something.

"I really hope you've got a plan because we can't keep this up much longer."

Hook produced a small jar and handed it to Peter.

"Open this," he ordered, to her he answered "you underestimate me love, if there's one thing I've learned in 300 years-" he levelled her with a heated look and a smirk "it's how to last," he finished. Peter twisted off the lid and held out the jar of thick brown looking sap.

"Oh good, you're flirting during mortal peril, you must have a plan," she replied drolly. He pulled her hand and the scarf away, smearing a dab of the thick salve over her wound and instantly sealing it to stop the bleeding. A brief pause ensued her statement.

"You do have a plan, right?"

His grin widened in response.

"This is far from the first time we've been boarded Swan." He turned from her to go to the railing overlooking the war that spanned over his entire ship, Emma and Peter moving to keep on his heels.

"Push the line!" Killian hollered over the noise of the battle. Emma didn't think anyone was going to hear him, until she heard a few pirates take up his call. Then a few more and a few more until the air was rife with the call to 'push the line.'

Emma watched as the pirates that had become a tight cluster being ground into the mast seemed to come together, taking one coordinated step forwards and expanding a circle, retaking ground. They somehow held an unbroken line as they fought, forcing the soldiers back while they pressed forward. They were outnumbered against the Queen's soldiers, carrying finer steel and wearing better armor.  
And the crew was _holding._

"It's how you fight Swan," he said with that mad grin of his, seeing her amazement "not how many you fight with."

Emma caught of glimpse of that black wolf running the perimeter of the expanding circle, quickly catching on and helping to keep the line unbroken as she sent soldiers running in terror. The Jolly Rodgers open sails had a strong gale, straining the ropes of the two royal ships on either side of her, trying to hold her back. Men had begun to fall into the sea with no more deck left for them to give up to the pirates. Her astonishment only grew when she realized that all this and the Jolly Rodger was _still_ moving; dragging itself and two other ships onward to the portal and the ship guarding it. _They were winning_.

Despite that new knowledge Emma still found her gut was in knots, because in all this time she had yet to see Graham. Emma began to tie the scarf Hook had given her over her hair, it she couldn't see him here she'd have to dive in to find him.

"What are you doing?" Killian demanded as she knotted the black silk behind her neck and under her hair.

"Making myself less of a target," she told him bluntly, looking over the rail for a quick measure of the drop.

"They need us down there still and I have to find Graham." Dead or alive.

_Don't think like that. _She was back to fighting form thanks to Killian…

"Thanks for patching my wound."

"Emma… if you can't see him from here-"

"I'm going." Those blue eyes of hers drilled into him like she dared him to tell her she couldn't. He hesitated only a moment before drawing his sword once more.

"Stick close and mind me," he ordered, his eyes daring her now to tell him not to follow her. She wouldn't, she may never admit it out loud but Emma couldn't think of any better swordsman she'd rather have at her back today. She couldn't help but smirk at him at that moment however.

"Only one of those I can do, guess which one?"

"Emma!"

Peter's frantic voice whipped her head around so fast she heard her spine realign. He was pointing at something, when she looked to what she felt her heart skip a few beats. A man surrounded by soldiers had been cut off from the rest of the group, leaving him to fight alone through hordes of enemy soldiers. He looked as if he was growing tired, being forced farther from the pirates and closer to the edge of the ship with his enemies.  
It was clear Graham wasn't going to last much longer out there. Hook saw as well, he knew a doomed man when he saw one - Emma didn't.

_Stop her._

He knew she was going to make a suicidal try to save her friend and even so he couldn't move fast enough to prevent her from hopping over the rail and running into insurmountable odds.

"Emma! No!" he yelled after her, but it was all too late. Killian snagged his hook into the front of Peter's shirt and jerked him close.

"Do you realize what you've done!?" he snarled in his face. Peter looked like he couldn't even respond before Hook shoved him away angrily.

"Help hold the helm!" he barked before jumping the rail to fight his way after her.

* * *

Three mirrors stood before the Evil Queen, each one showing a captain from one of the three ships. The two laying siege to the Jolly Roger reported over screams and the clash of swords.

"They're forcing us from the ship your majesty!" one wide eyed Captain reported, nervously shifting his gaze from mirror to the shifting tide of the fight.

"The ship has the sails full open and she's pulling, we can't hold!" the other Captain confirmed, looking to be holding a bleeding wound at his side.

"They're still sailing for the portal my Queen" The third captain reported a but nervously.

"Their cannons are disabled, you are better armed, you out number them three ships to one!" the Queen snapped with disgust.

"They're utilizing-" the wounded captain began.

"How dare you feed me excuses!" she cut in before he could even finish his sentence, sounding utterly incensed. They looked harried even to her eyes, like they couldn't believe the turn of the battle being fought either. Regina would not tolerate this, she would not allow that pirate and that insufferable princess to slip her grasp again! Not when they were in her trap, not when she should be winning!

"Incompetent! Both of you!" she hissed at the first two captains, waving her hand furiously to sever the magical link and turning both mirrors dark. Leaving only the captain guarding the portal to speak with. Miss swan was not getting through that split in the realm.

"Fire the cannons on them."

The man looked bewildered by the order.

"Majesty we still risk killing the prisoner if we fire now." She was aware of that of course but the risk of her escape was growing greater, she was simply going to have to bet on Miss Swan's startling apt talent at surviving.

"Emma Swan survives, she has for 18 years. When she survives this you scoop her from the ocean."

"But we'll hit our own!" he protested "your son is on that ship your Majesty!"

Regina's expression did not change, but her hands did tighten into fists. It was a hesitation she was unfamiliar with and yet…  
Power often demanded sacrifice.

"I gave you an order Captain, do not force me to repeat myself."

* * *

Killian's eyes barely strayed from the black silk of his scarf, now covering Emma's blond hair, even as he weaved and fought his way after her. If she made it all the way to Graham he doubted she'd be able to fight the tide of that many soldiers back to some semblance of safety; Emma would almost certainly be taken. The silky material reflected the glaring sun, moving determinedly through the crowd, his heart sped when he saw she was quickly coming upon the point of no return. Seemingly out of nowhere the massive form of Red's wolf bounded past him, so close he automatically jerked back from the brush of her fur on his arm, causing him to loose track of Emma before Red disappeared into the enemy ranks with a howl.

Killian didn't have time to wonder if the black beast was also hastening to Graham's rescue, he'd lost sight of Emma. His eyes desperately sought to find her once again, the moments feeling agonizingly long before he spotted the tell tale silk again. She was no longer moving forward, why had she stopped? Killian couldn't see her clearly enough to discern why as a man foolishly crowded his line of sight to engage him.

Killian dispatched him with a brutal efficiently, cutting him down without breaking stride. He couldn't afford to spare even a second for hesitation. Emma was made clear through the crowd for but a moment to him. What he saw made his gut drop into his feet almost instantly. She was held at sword point while two soldiers advanced to grab her. raising no hand to defend herself against the man holding her at sword point. He knew it was because of _who_ held the sword on her. Killian cursed as he launched himself forward, sword swinging more furiously than before to clear his path to her.

* * *

Emma didn't think Red would hear her but she shouted for her all the same while she twirled and danced her way towards a quickly wearying Graham, fighting his losing battle. Emma knew she couldn't save him alone but she was not just going to, well, not try damn it! Come hell or high water-

A soldier stepped into her path at that moment, in such a way that she would be forced to confront him rather than merely dodge him as she been doing. His mistake, he wasn't going to be the first soldier she went through today she thought, already looking for a vulnerable opening to bury her blade in without slowing her approach. Until her eyes reached his face.

She came to the most abrupt halt right in front of the young man, eyes wide with shock.  
In that moment of recognition the world stopped, air grew too dense to breath, her heart clenched so hard in her chest it physically hurt. She… was looking at her son. He'd grown so tall, she'd always thought he would be when he got older but his hair was cut shorter then she'd figured he'd like it. He'd also filled out where once he'd been so scrawny, Henry had become a man in her absence. Emma dropped her knife, letting it fall from her shaking hands as her arms fell numbly by her side, staring at him.  
Henry looked back warily, thrown by her reaction to him, he'd been expecting to have to fight her. But she just gazed at him, tears he was almost sure she didn't noticed streaming down her face. What was going on?

"Henry?"

His name fell from her lips in a sound so choked with emotion she didn't even recognise her voice, hand flying to her mouth as if to gain some control of the sound. _Oh god he's here…_

Emma's first instinct was to embrace him, moving to do so before she could think twice-  
Reality saw fit to remind her of the circumstances via the cold point of a sword pressing to the hallow of her throat. It was only then she even realized Henry was holding a sword at all. His eyes held hers, hard and blank of recognition. Emma felt like he'd already driven the blade home at that look.

"Henry, please tell me you know who I am," she said slowly, voice as close to pleading as she'd ever come in her life, raising no hand to defend herself. Henry didn't answer her, instead he reached forward and ripped the scarf from her hair.

"Here!" he yelled, waving his arm high. His call drew the attention of two soldiers fighting to hold ground against the merciless line of pirates, immediately abandoning the pursuit when they saw her. She just stood there, unable to even think of moving.

_This is not happening…_

"Henry, it's me," she tried again, but he only looked baffled by her words, like he thought this some very poor trick on her part.

"Don't resist, I'd rather not hurt you," he told her as two rough pair of hands grabbed her by either arm and began to drag her back. It was the fact that they tried to drag her away from Henry in that moment that snapped her from her stupor of inaction.

Emma came to life, violently. She slammed her head into the first man's hard enough to render him unconscious, freeing her other arm to drive her fist into the second man's throat with such force she thought she may have collapsed his wind pipe. She flew at Henry and knocked the sword from his grip before he could stop her, grabbing him by the shoulders in a desperate grip.

"Henry it's me!" _Please remember me_ "Emma, Emma the orphan!"

She introduced herself as she had all those years ago, looking for even a spark of remembrance - but she saw none.

"I don't know any orphans." He shoved her away from him and threw a punch that would have cold clocked her for sure had she not ducked under it. It may as well have connected, that simple cold statement hit her harder than any first could. That was the moment it turned out that she needed her wits about her the most, because that's when everything began to happen at near impossible speed. The battle chose that moment to evolve from chaos to total anarchy and time for anything but surviving ran out.

Emma heard the distant boom of cannons, looking at the same time Henry did abroad to the ship guarding the portal. Her eyes widened as she quickly made out the cannon balls sailing at them, yet the sound of steel clashing still turned her attention back to Henry. Hook had appeared from seemingly no where to deflect the swing of a sword. Not from her or himself, but from another pirate that had swung at Henry's exposed back. She barely registered what he'd done as he shoved the pirate back from her son before kicking Henry's knee out to collapse him.  
No time.

She thought he was saying something like 'stay down!' just as she was yelling 'Get down!' but neither finished their sentence as the royal ship, secured to their port side, took the first few cannon balls. Explosive cracks of wood shattering, the sound of the boarding ship being rent apart mere feet away assaulted their ears, jerking the vessel so violently that the grapples still securing them to the Jolly Rodger snapped. People were sent flying across the deck at the sudden give of tension, wood and debris flying through the air. Emma skidded across the deck, arms covering her face to protect it from the splintering wood and fire. Her ears were ringing, lowering her arms to witness the mad scramble. Soldiers abandoned the fight, running for the starboard ship or jumping into the ocean altogether. Some were already cutting the grapples so the ship could try to escape the line of fire, leaving the Jolly Rodger sailing un-anchored towards those cannons with complete abandon. The wolf was dragging a limp Graham past her now, trying to get him to some semblance of safety, she wasn't sure if he was ok or not. Killian lay not far from her, in a daze and trying to regain his bearings - definitely alive, small mercies. Henry… There! A little farther away a soldier was trying to haul him to his feet, he was alive.

She ignored her own disorientation and forced herself to sit up as she heard a few more cannon balls just barely missing their intended target and splashing into the ocean. _Get to your feet, damnit! Get to your feet!_

She would have given her right arm for five minutes to catch her fucking breath but fate was not that kind. Already she heard the boom of more cannons firing and knew this time they would not escape the iron about to rain down on them. The only thing going through her head at that moment was _everyone I love is on this ship_. Her blood was suddenly alive and burning as instinct took over...

* * *

Killian raised his head from the deck of his ship, ears still ringing. Something had hit him hard enough to send him sprawling, judging by the ache he was sure it had been a large piece of flying wood, he had a feeling something was broken. He had to get up. He had to steer them from danger and he had to do it now. He saw a soldier helping Emma's son run for the ship trying to escape death. He wanted to stop him but knew he couldn't.

He couldn't even yet force himself to his feet. His ship sailed straight for them, no longer dragging two ships along it was clear he would strike their vessel with his own, unless they sunk him in the next few minutes. Emma was far from him, wrestling to sit up, looking out to the firing ship. He was surprised to see her with a look not of despair or fear, but resolve amidst all the madness. He heard them fire again and his heart sank with the knowledge that the next few moments would be their last. At that same moment Emma raised her hand, palm up; what was she do-

A sound like a gong begin struck rang out. It was so loud it shook him and the ship under him right to the core. He watched in awe as the cannonballs meant for them rebounded, returning to strike the very vessel they'd fired from. Mercilessly they fell under the vicious assault of their own iron, tearing the Queens third ship apart until it quickly began to sink. Emma fell back against the deck like she couldn't keep herself upright and he suddenly found the strength to get to his feet and stumble to her side. Killian looked down at her in utter shock as he knelt, noting how she cradled her arm with wide eyes as she stared back.

"If I can, I'll lead with that next time," she said loudly, looking and sounding stunned.

"Agreed, are you alright?"

"I can't feel my arm."

He grabbed her by the shoulder and hauled her back to a sitting position. The ship guarding the portal had almost fully succumbed to the waves now, leaving the way clear of everything but scraps. And it looked to be just in time, their first bit of luck all day. The portal lay directly ahead of them now, twisting the air and pulling at his ship almost greedily, deeper into its clutches.

They didn't have time to celebrate their miraculous save, they weren't out yet he thought dragging Emma up with him to her feet.

"We need to grab hold of something!" he shouted, yanking her along as fast as he could to the closest rail. The last few soldiers left aboard were jumping into the ocean while the pirates, knowing what was coming next, began to grasp anything firmly nailed down.

"Henry!" Emma demanded eyes searching for her son frantically.

"He escaped onto the other ship," Hook told her shortly, looping her good arm through the rail, positioning himself in front of her so he could use his body to lock her in more securely for the rough ride ahead. He firmly held the rail on one side of Emma and impaled his hook into the wood on the other side.

"Hold on!" he yelled.

The portal swallowed the ship whole and all she could perceive after that was the crackle of power and the gut strangling sensation of falling.

**...**

**So hopefully that was intense, lol! I want to thank my readers and reviewers for saying such nice things and giving me wonderful encouragement, this story would not have gotten out of its diapers if not for your guys. Luvs! Now for the tumblr crowd - tangled6, messymind, Peaceheather, snowanchester, 5289belle, tehgreeneyes, swaggercaptain, onceuponaflameofhope, and colinodorgasm. I see you guys talking me up to others and recommending my stories and I just-  
*HUGS!* **  
**Let me love you guys! I'd thank my muse, but lets face it she's kinda evil and we can't encourage her too much. **  
**Muse: MUHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**Have a good weekend!**


	12. Chapter 12

Henry stood on the deck of the ship one of his men had dragged him onto just before it cut loose from the Jolly Roger. He'd watched as an invisible force had repelled what should have been a lethal hail of cannon balls to sink the royal ship firing them, and now? Now he had to watch as the pirate ship sailed through the split in the skin of two worlds and disappeared. They may not have escaped at all if they hadn't been prematurely fired on by their own damn ship - a fool captain panicking and risking the lives of countless soldiers? If the man still lived he'd petition his mother to have the fool stripped of rank and exiled from the fucking kingdom. Soldiers were dead, two ships were sunk and they didn't have a damn thing to show for it.  
His mother would not be pleased.

_Emma, Emma the orphan!_

His frowned deepened as her face surfaced unbidden in his mind, remembering her strange plea. He would have appeared as just another soldier to her, he'd seen her skill in battle and he was far from her better – why try to appeal to him with lies and tears? Unless she wasn't... lying? Could he possibly know her?  
Henry shook his head, no – it was a trick of some kind. She was a clever enemy trying to sew discord, she must have known who he was somehow. That would explain why the famous Captain Hook had saved his life, he was good leverage. Besides, what better way to create rifts in the kingdom than to start with the Queen's son? All lies, all tricks - he had never known 'Emma the orphan.'

_Henry it's me..._

"Sir."  
The Captain's voice pulled him from his thoughts as he faced the man twice his senior. They all knew better than to call him 'My Prince', being just shy of eighteen he didn't like anyone thinking he had this job because of who he was.

"Should we follow them through?" the Captain asked him, holding a bandage on a stomach wound. Henry shook his head.

"We'll be torn apart if we try now. Search the water for survivors then head us to a friendly port, we'll be needing healers," he ordered. The Captain nodded an affirmative before leaving to carry them out, leaving him to gaze out at where his targets had escaped.  
His name as a strangled sob replayed in his mind again.

_Henry?_

Why did his chest ache?

* * *

It didn't last long. One minute Emma felt like she was being pulled in every direction at once as the ship rattled disconcertingly under her, good arm aching with the strain to hold tight; then the pulling stopped and a real fall so sudden she felt her stomach in her throat started. She heard the splash as they landed, jarred so hard by the impact that if Hook hadn't been using his entire body to pin her where she was she'd have been thrown from the ship all together. Darkness, silence broken only by short harsh breaths and the groaning protests of the realized after a long moment that it was dark because she'd squeezed her eyes shut at some point.

Slowly she forced herself to open them. She was surprised to see that it wasn't just because her eyes had been closed, it was indeed darker out where moments before they'd been under a waning morning sun. In Neverland apparently it was twilight.

Her focus on the lack of sun quickly shifted as she met Hook's eyes from mere inches away. It was his short harsh breaths that brushed hotly against her forehead. His body was crushing against hers so her own breath were limited to shorter gasps, locking her paralyzed arm between them with both arms braced on either side of her. She felt strangely secure where normally she would have felt claustrophobic, his body firmly keeping her upright reassured her blissfully blank mind. The heat emanating from him seemed to sink into her and she was grateful, she'd be much colder if he wasn't warming her...

_Shock,_ her mind told her dutifully.  
It was the first bit of stillness and quiet if what felt like forever. It couldn't last, already there were cries of victory beginning to sound as everyone began to realize they had actually survived, whistles and cheers of joyous disbelief. Neither of them moved from the increasingly intimate position, neither joined the joyous cheering, eyes locked.

"Are you alright?" Hook gasped finally. The blankness began to pull back and Emma felt her muscles knot a little more tightly. She suddenly felt like she was on the edge of something very unpleasant, something she had to ignore less it crack her. She needed a task, something to do to force it all away. Mercifully she knew there was still work to be done.

"Swan, are you alright?" Hook demanded again in that same strained voice, a little louder this time.

_Keep moving._

"Fine," she answered him at last, wriggling a little to convey her wish to be unrestrained. Killian grunted as if the small movement hurt before he wrenched his hook from the wood and moved back from her, almost reluctantly. He watched as the arm that had been between them fell like a dead weight to her side, she calmly unwound her good arm from the rail like she hadn't noticed. He knew she did but he could plainly see she didn't feel it was very important.

"What exactly does 'fine' mean where you come from love?" he asked between teeth grit with pain.  
"That I'll live," she answered shortly, eyes already methodically looking him over for obvious injury. She knew by those harsh breaths and that pain in his voice something was wrong.

"You're hurt."

"Dislocated rib," he confirmed, watching her strangely. That posed a problem, she couldn't put it back if her arm wasn't working she thought glancing at it like she was annoyed that it was proving useless at the moment.  
Red or Graham could-

Her entire body stiffened at the thought of her friends. Immediately her gaze swept over the deck looking for them, intensely worried. Red was easy enough to spot in her signature cloak, sitting down next to someone propped up – Graham. She could only see the back of his head from where she was standing, but she could see Red looked to be chewing him out about something. He was ok, they both were. That tension eased very slightly from her muscles, strange calm seeping back into her. Her mind for some reason chose that moment to jump back to Henry and she nearly had to bite her tongue to push his face out of her mind. The closest she could get was to the moment that had happened so fast she'd been barely able to take it in, so huge it baffled her.

_Don't think._

"Emma you are not fine, you can't move your arm and you're freezing," Hook was saying, voice pulling her erratic thoughts back to the present. He was touching her arm as he said it but she didn't feel it, also it wasn't her fault it was so cold out. He was looking at her like he thought she might be a little off her head.

_Keep moving, don't think._

"I need to check on them," she said, like she hadn't heard him speak at all "then I'll fix your rib, then..." Emma didn't know what would come next. That lightning fast moment before all hell had come raining down elbowed back to the forefront of her mind; Hook had saved Henry's life. It was a debt to deep to ever be scratched off, a scale she could never balance and Hook held the IOU. Part of her couldn't think how to thank him enough, the other part wondered how he'd call it in.

_Don't think, do!_

"Then we'll keep going," she said to him with a nod, the only thing she felt like she could do. Just keep going and not look back. Killian's eyes were on her face, reading her like no one else had ever been able to do.

"Emma-"

"Captain!"

Killian looked to the sound of Peter's voice. Emma used the distraction to move past him and go to her friends. He wouldn't follow, his attention was needed about his ship to be sure everything was more or less ok; bought her some time from his pestering. As she neared her friends she began to make out exactly what it was Red was saying.

"- sloppiest fighting I've ever seen! How could you let yourself get in a position like that?" she snapped at him.

"Hab I ment-doned I gob hit in dah face wit a wooben plank?" Graham asked thickly through the cloth pressed to his bloody nose, still managing to sound a little bitter.

"The Graham I knew would have dodged!"

Red looked up at the familiar sound of her friends steps. Emma watched her thoughts flit across her face like bold words on parchment. Relief, Emma was alive! Worry, was she hurt? Scanning her, looked fine. Angry, did she know Graham had been a dumbass in their absence? She pointed a finger at Graham and by way of greeting snapped "Emma scold him!"  
He turned to look in Emma's direction, allowing her to see the damage. He was holding a wadded up bit of cloth (ripped from Red's shirt) under his nose to dam up the blood pouring from his nose, his left eye already beginning to bruise.

"He let himself get separated and swamped, he knows better, he could have died!" Red hissed to Emma.

"Yew made ith," Graham sighed, looking relived to see her as she knelt by him. Superficial looking wounds, nose not broken, still better check. Emma immediately began to run her hand expertly over his face, feeling for broken bones.

"I don't think he gets how lucky he is to be alive," Red growled angrily.

"Hun-"

"Don't you hun me Graham you scared the shit out of me!" Red took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself as Emma held up a finger in front of his face.

"Follow," she ordered, moving the hand and watching his eyes. He looked at her a bit strangely but did as he was told, pulling the cloth back from his nose to see the bleeding had mostly stopped.

"Emma you have any of those nifty paper smokes?" she asked "I like a good puff after a meal."

"Red, I love you but that's messed up," Graham said, thickness receding from his words.

"No," Emma answered rather simply, not batting an eye. She lowered her hand, convinced now he had no concussion.

"No concussion," Emma told them both. Graham exchanged a look with Red, who seemed to catch on that something was wrong at Emma's lack of snappy admonishment to her comment.

"That's good," Emma said nodding to herself.

"Yeah," Graham said slowly "It is. Emma are you ok?"

_I don't know yet._

"Fine. Hurt anywhere else?" she asked him.

"No-"

"Red?" Emma asked, cutting him off to look at her.

"Just bruises," Red said, pressing the back of her hand to Emma's cheek with drawn brows. Red drew back before she could push her hand away and undid the clasp at her throat, pulling her crimson cloak off to drape over Emma's shoulders.

_Don't think. Keep moving._

"I don't need it," Emma tried to tell her.

"Yeah you do, what's wrong with your arm?" Red demanded.

"Nothing."

Red grabbed her wrist before she could protest, held it up and then let it go. Both of them watched as the limb fell and swung like a dead weight at her side.

"Wrong answer, try again," Graham said firmly.

"I had another fluke magic thing happen to deflect the cannon balls, feelings coming back a bit slow is all." She could already feel tingling in her finger tips. When they both just looked at her she felt the stirring of some anger in her.

"I'm fine," she repeated a bit heatedly. Red pointed between her and Graham.

"Neither of us needs wolf senses to smell that's bullshit."

"Emma what's happened?" Graham asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

_Don't think. Push it back._

"I don't have time for this, one of you needs to be my hands," Emma told them a bit frustrated, looking back in Hook's direction to see him directing his men in some task, glancing in her direction. Red opened her mouth, a flood of blunt words about to come pouring out to force a more forthcoming answer but Graham gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head, stopping her just before Emma looked back.  
She didn't look happy but Red kept her tongue in check and instead said "I need to stretch my legs." She walked off a bit huffily, leaving Graham and Emma alone.

"You're not ok." He didn't even make it a question once Red was out of ear shot. She didn't deny it a third time.

"I saw Henry," she said, almost blankly, like she was making a report. _Oh gods, please don't let it be that..._

"Is he alive?" Graham asked tensely. She nodded mechanically, looking at the deck instead of him. He felt the tension drain away as quickly as it had come upon him, he wasn't sure Emma would survive losing Henry twice.

"He... he didn't know me Graham," she said, so quietly he almost didn't hear her. She wouldn't look up at him, her good hand clenched into a fist. Graham wasn't sure what to say, he'd thought she knew that Henry might not know her, hell Henry hadn't recognized him. Apparently she'd held out some hope he would. He took her good hand in his, pulling her fist open to hold it and give it a squeeze.

"You're going to get him back Emma, all of him." but even as he said it he felt like the attempt to lend comfort wasn't reaching her. This was confirmed when she pulled her hand from his, the distance she put between them actually hurting, she hadn't put up her walls between them for some time.

"We have work to do."

Emma was running, trying to stay ahead of all the insanity dogging her right now. Graham wasn't sure how she was going to handle it when it finally caught up to her. For now he knew he had to let her keep running from task to task, if only to help her keep going.

"What do you need help with?" he asked, letting his hand fall away.

"Popping Hook's rib back into place."

Graham perked up instantly.

"That sounds painful," he said, sounding almost hopeful.

"Very," Emma confirmed.

"I'll do it."

* * *

Killian glanced over at Emma as she came with Graham, blood staining his upper lip from a bloody nose and a black eye slowly swelling up. Emma was wearing Red's cloak around her, for the first time he found himself glad her friends were here, if only to lend her some assistance when he couldn't. He looked back to Red whose questions he'd been answering.

"Only two, Both personal," he replied, answering her odd question as he wiped at his brow with the arm opposite his dislocated rib, pain searing through him with every breath.

"Why?"

"Idle curiosity," Red shrugged. Hook eyed her almost suspiciously.

"You strike me as the least idle person I've ever met Red."

"I pick my moments," she answered with a smile. Her blithe answer struck him as wrong in some way, but he was side tracked from any further inquiry with her as Emma and Graham joined them. Despite being in something close to agony he made sure he got the first question of the conversation.

"How's the arm?" Killian asked before Emma could say anything. She looked down and flexed her hand, a few fingers moved in response, which was at least some progress.

"Improving."

"Good," he nodded. Hook pointed ahead of the ship draw their attention to the island. The ship had landed in shallow water not far from Neverland island, a few feet less water would have surely meant the destruction of the ship.

"We'll be heading ashore shortly," he told them all. They were close enough that Emma could clearly make out the finer details of the place. The sand was alabaster white even in the orange light of the sun on the horizon, the trees weren't as tall as she was used to seeing but not small by any means. They were also very thin with no branches, only a cluster of strange fan like leaves sticking out around the top. The foliage was a unique golden green, some grass looking to be taller than her. There was a strange almost luminescence to the entire island, like an aura you had to squint to see. Hook continued on as they all took the island in.

"We have one of our realms days before our portal closes behind us, to find what Emma's brought us here for. It takes three of our months for the sun to rise and fall here so Jaken-" he indicated a pirate to his left.

"Will be our time keeper, he'll ring the ship bell an hour before our window closes. Truthfully I very much hope to be out of here before we're that close to the wire." Everyone looked back to the twisting of air behind the ship that marked the way back to their realm.

"My men are prepping the boats now, only a small party of us leaves for the island – questions?"

"No," Emma answered just as Graham asked "where are we going?"

"Ask our fair Emma, I enjoyably follow her lead on this," Hook directed, smirking at her experimentally. _Roll your eyes Emma..._

"I'll know when we physically get on the island," she said, almost no reaction whatsoever to his attempt to remind her of the past flirtation. Definitely not fine, that was disconcerting. He did need Emma in top form, she was the key to this whole venture, but despite what Emma thought of him he actually did care if she was alright or not. Troublesome.

"You don't know now?" Graham asked aside, Emma shrugged noncommittally. Her lack of forth coming seemed to irk him but he didn't ask further, pursuing another line of questioning.

"Ok. What are we going to do about our..." Graham looked around to be sure it was just them before asking "mystery saboteur?"

"They'll be volunteering for the away party," Hook assured him, face darkening at the reminder that there was a traitor among them.

"They can't afford for us to come back with our prize, I'd bet my other hand on it. As promised I'll be plugging our leak soon enough," he promised coldly. Emma seemed uninterested in the hunt for the ships mole, focusing on things that still needed to be done.

"That's great," she said, like she hadn't been listening "sit down, Graham's going to put your rib back in."

Hook immediately eyed the other man who had a somewhat disturbing smirk on his face.

"The hell he is," Hook declared, narrowing his eyes at his least favorite passenger.

"I can't do it and someone has too or you're going to be useless to everyone, sit - down," she repeated firmly. Hook frowned at the return of her usual brisk manner before taking a seat on a few near by barrels, Emma already directing Graham on how to go about tending his injury. His hands were clumsy, jostling the rib so that Hook had to bite his tongue to keep from crying out or cussing viciously. He suspected Graham was bloody well doing it on purpose.

"Try not to enjoy this too much boy," Hook spat under his breath.

"I'm doing my _very_ best not too." _Pop!_

"Sonuvabitch!"

* * *

The pair of away boats kissed the shore and the first boots to hit the ground were Red's, running a few steps before dropping to roll in the alabaster sand, laughing with child like delight. Peter, who'd been seated beside her, watched Red for a moment before turning around to shoot Emma a grin.

"Land lubbers," he said, rolling his eyes. He was trying to make her smile again, she managed to oblige him with a brief upturning of the corners of her lips. He'd been adamant about sticking to her side of course, it was only when they were already paddling to get to Neverland that she realized he would have been safer on the ship. Her focus was narrowing too much, she knew it but couldn't seem to do anything about it. Having Peter close meant she needed to look out for him, another task, an important one that might help her crawl out of her fog. God she was selfish she thought, even as she reached up and half halfheartedly mussed his hair.

Killian was stepping off the second boat while Smee and a few other hopped out and began to drag it further inshore. His eyes swept over the prospects, one amongst them the traitor he fully intended to bury on this island. He found his eyes fixing to the petite woman rolling on the beach and generally celebrating her return to land. He found his suspicious gravitating almost disturbingly to the leak being one of Emma's compatriots, not his. Best to keep that to himself for the time being...

Letting his eyes wander he saw once more Graham was sticking close to Emma, he'd noticed he was keeping an even closer eye on his friend than usual. Emma was trying to help pull the boat higher on the beach, weak arm quaking with tremors as she did so. When Graham touched her shoulder she shook him off and snapped something he didn't quite hear. He raised his arms in frustrated surrender before turning to walk away. Normally this would have put a smile on Hook's face but now it only deepened a worry in his gut, Peter silently stepping up to help her in lieu of trying to dissuade her.  
As loath as Hook was to admit he should speak with Graham to get a better fix of Emma's behavior...

* * *

Graham strode away from Emma, stopping at the edge of the trees and pressing the heel of his palm into his eyes until he saw stars. He knew he had to let her go about her own way but why she always chose a distraction that strained any injuries she had he'd never know. Stubborn as a fucking mule from the day he'd first met her. Dropping his hand he decided to go back and put his foot down for her own good, only to be startled from the thought by the bright light glowing an inch away from his nose. He jerked back a step from it instinctively, another moment passing before he could make out that the light was actually a person.

A little blond woman with translucent wings actually, no bigger than his pinkie wearing a green leaf as a dress. She wasn't alone he quickly saw, three more lazily circling his head. The one hovering in front of his face was smiling pleasantly at him while the others giggled, leaving him unsure on how he should react to their presence. They looked a great like his realms faeries, less ornately dressed, with slightly bigger wings but really what else could they be?

"Hurt," one said in a whispery bell like voice as she skimmed past his ear, a small hand brushing the bruise around his eye with a feather light touch. Graham took another cautious step away from them and turned to return where the others were. He wasn't overly surprised that the faeries followed him.

"Help," the blond one said, fluttering back into his line of sight, holding what looked like an aqua colored grape between her hands. Graham came to a stop as she tried to offer it to him, seeing that much like her it glowed.

"Uh... no thank you," he tried uncertainly. His words were met with more musical giggling, the first one waving the fruit out to him a little more insistently.

"Eat, heal," her little voice hummed, smiling encouragingly.

"Piss off ya damn shinners!"

Graham glanced past the fairy to see an annoyed Smee halfheartedly swatting at the little lights dancing around his head. He didn't appear overly alarmed or afraid, perhaps these faeries were not so different from the benevolent ones in his realm? She looked as if flying with the fruit almost the size of her head _was_ straining her a little...

Slowly he held out his hand and with a delighted expression the blond little fairy dropped it into his hand, he almost couldn't help but smile back at her. He was surprised yet again to find that it felt warm in his hand, pulsing pleasantly like a tiny heart beat.  
Waving her hand encouragingly she repeated "eat, heal."  
He nodded a thanks and raised the fruit to his lips, wondering what it would taste like.

A hand seemed to reach out of nowhere and slapped it hard from his hand before it could reach his lips. Graham looked to see Killian standing there, gazing at the faeries now collecting above them both. He opened his mouth to say something nasty to the pirate until he saw how stern the expression he turned on the buzzing lights.

"Nice try ladies," Killian said coolly to them "off with you."

The tiny women stuck their tongues out at him before zipping away into the trees.

"Never take the food offered by pixies," Killian told him seriously "it has healing properties but even a taste is enough to trap you in Neverland forever."

Grahams eyes widened, trapped here forever? He almost felt sick as he realized just how close he'd come to never being able to leave this realm, or this island, ever again.

"My advice is suffer the black eye boy, it's not worth eternity in this place," Killian advised, watching his face carefully..

"... Thank you," Graham said with a hesitant grudging. In response Killian donned a predatory grin, instantly setting Graham ill at ease.

"I'm not in the habit of doing anything for free Graham, you owe me."

He grit his teeth and said nothing, Killian saw the sudden tension and grasped his shoulder in an overly familiar gesture.

"Relax Graham, my desires are simple, I'm not about to ask for your first born." He looked back to Red as he said that.

"First pup?"

"Remove your hand before I remove it for you Hook." Killian did so as if unconcerned by the threat before letting his smile slip off his face somewhat.

"I ask of you some insight into Swan. Should I be worried about her?" he asked.

"She's had a lot thrown at her in the past few days," Graham answered evasively.

"Not what I asked," Killian replied pointedly. He only stared defiantly back and the ice blue eyes normally so bright grew darker.

"I could make you tell me, since this isn't about the bad blood between us but rather Emma's well being I'll simply ask again – should I be worried about her?"

Graham was almost shocked by what he was almost inclined to label genuine concern. It was the only reason he felt at all compelled in that moment to be honest with the pirate.

"...I'm not sure. You know she faced Henry?"  
Killian simply nodded.

"He didn't know her, straw that broke the mule's back. Emma hasn't had time to deal with anything that's been thrown at her," he looked in her direction, watching Peter chatter at her as she looked for something else too do.

"It's about to hit her. I don't know how she's going to handle it, but my guess is not well," Graham sighed. Killian waited with a poor veneer of patience for him to continue.

"Emma won't let me pull her back," he admitted "she's trying to bury herself in work so she doesn't have to think and that wont last." At this he faced Killian fully.

"I don't like you Hook, but for some reason you... connect with her," he sounded like acknowledging this was the equivalent to pulling teeth.

"It's not going to be pretty. You might be able to... focus her."

"And you can't?" Hook asked, expecting some jab in return. Graham's jaw clenched so hard he had to spit the next words past his teeth.

"No."

That simple admittance made Killian realize just how serious he was. He knew Swan was on edge, he hadn't thought it was_ the_ edge. Graham was attempting something vaguely resembling trust concerning Emma.

"... I'll see her through," Killian assured him. Graham gave a tight nod and for a brief second Killian swore there was a flicker of something broaching respect in his eyes.

"I still hate you," Graham reminded him casually.

"Feelings mutual," Killian replied in kind. They both watched Emma make her way over to Red, still sprawled out on the beach while Peter continually chattered at Emma's heel. It was painfully obvious she was trying keep a level facade up so he wouldn't worry by forcing a smile, but Killian thought that just might be a good thing.

"Might not come to that though," Killian said, watching Emma took off Red's cloak while the other woman stood to take it. "She's fond of the lad, maybe that'll keep her grounded."

Red slipped the cloak about her shoulders and he heard her sigh in contentment before a small frown creased her brow.

"I feel like I'm forgetting something," he heard her say. Her face brightened as if just recalling something.

"Oh right!"

Red's hand shot out so fast it was just a blur as she grabbed Peter by his shirt, throwing him like he was a rag-doll five feet across the beach. He hit the sand with a cry of alarm and before anyone could so much as blink Red was standing over him. Her eye's were twin pits of blazing amber as she glared down at him, his expression one of growing terror as she bared abnormally sharp teeth.

"Honestly didn't think I'd put it together pup?" she growled, "Afraid that'll cost you your throat."

**...**

**shit just got real, lol!**


	13. Chapter 13

The sound of swords being drawn was background noise as Emma fell into a dead run towards the two. Peter was trying to scramble away from the enraged Red who looked disturbingly close to going full wolf on him.

"Wh-" his cry was cut off in a strangled choke as Red pressed her foot down on his throat to pin him to the ground under her.

"Red!" Graham's voice rang out as he ran to intervene, Killian hot on his heels. Emma got there first, shoving Red so violently forward she only just avoided hitting the ground by stumbling a few paces away. She whirled back to face Emma, now firmly between her and Peter as he lay stunned in the sand, gasping for air.

"What the hell is the matter with you!?" Emma hissed, ignoring the pirates drawing weapons, looking to their Captain as he arrived for a clue on how to react to Red's attack on one of their own. Graham took up position beside Red instantly, watching her back as the tension rose with her growl.

"What is going on?" Hook demanded, looking between the two women and the wide eyed Peter. Swords hesitantly pointed in Red's direction at their Captains question and Graham instantly took a more aggressive stance, moving to cover Red's back as his eyes narrowed on Hook's men.

"Hope you're all prepared to eat those."

"_Enough._"

The simple word seemed to cut through the air, Killian's voice infusing it with such threatening authority that one clearly either folded to his wishes or faced dire consequences. In that moment Emma saw why a crew of pirates would respect and fear him, why people knew the name Captain Hook. No one sheathed their blades but they all fell to a less threatening half mast, easing the thick tension thrumming through everyone by a few notches. In a calm but firm tone Killian directed his question to Red.

"What is the meaning of this?" Her gaze was still locked on Peter, lips trembling like she was itching to pull them back and bare her teeth.

"The meaning?" she asked, voice low and sounding more than a little... wolfish.

"The meaning of this is I've found your leak Captain Hook." There was a stunned silence following her words, then Emma shocked them all by laughing.

"Rebel? The spy?" she asked, as if that were the most absurd thing she'd ever heard. She pointed behind her to the gangly teen in the sand.

"Have you met the kid?"

"Met him?" Red asked eyes ablaze, "Hell Emma I share a secret with him. Stand and I swear to whatever God you hold in esteem, I will rip you limb from limb," she snarled as Peter made to get to his feet. He stilled instantly, eyes growing to the size of saucers at the mental image her threat conjured.

"Watch it Red," Emma warned her seriously.

"He put my pack at risk, he's lucky I haven't fucking eaten him yet."

"Emma I don't know what she's talking about!" Peter yelped, sounding increasingly alarmed. Emma was stunned, confusion dancing through her eyes. Red wasn't lying; why would she think Peter had put them at risk? She glanced at Killian to see his reaction to this accusation. The muscle in his jaw ticked, expression hard but altogether closed off.

"Explain," he ordered. Red finally moved her gaze off of Peter and looked at Hook.

"I was looking for Graham last night and found him sending a hawk instead, said it was for his brother." Her teeth had become more human as she spoke, eyes still intensely wolf.

"Next day three ships are waiting for us at a place they couldn't possibly have known we'd go and the cannons are disabled, but hey could be coincidence," she shrugged "Until I found out it was a personal messenger bird with only two homing's out."

Emma felt her stomach knotting, she still hadn't lied about anything yet. Had to be a misunderstanding, there was no damn way, it just didn't make sense. She wanted to glance back at Peter to gauge his reaction to all this but she feared taking her eyes off everyone, feeling like some kind of tide was about to turn against him with only her for protection. Killian was completely still, she could have sworn that his expression didn't change but she saw something come together as a cold hard anger lit his eyes.

"Emma," he said in an even tone after a moment "step away from Peter."  
Like that Emma felt the shift in everyone and suddenly it wasn't just Red she was keeping back from Peter. Her feet sunk into the sand more firmly almost instinctively, preparing for violence.

"Rebel didn't do anything," she insisted.

"My hawk is missing and there were only two homing's Emma, one was to you," Killian explained, voice still even and reasonable. It was only serving to put her more on edge, tightening that knot in her stomach because she _knew_ he was angry.

"The other was to The Evil Queen," he finished, turning a black look past Emma to Peter; She had been spot on the day she'd picked him as a vindictive man. The pirates had moved almost in-perceptively closer, eager for the accused traitor. This was becoming uncomfortably familiar.

"Emma please, I didn't do this," Peter pleaded behind her. Red made a sound somewhere between a growl and a bark at the denial that made the hairs on the back of Emma's neck stand up. Her feet planted even firmer, body language going from defensive to aggressive in the blink of an eye. If she'd been unwilling to move before it would take hell to move her now, because Red would kill the kid and most likely so would the pirates. That was happening over her dead body and a couple of theirs if necessary, she made sure everyone saw that on her face.

"Red, kindly calm yourself please," Killian said, seeing how quickly the potential for truly ugly things to happen was building.

"I don't take orders from you Hook," she replied hotly.

"If it was an order, I assure you milady, you _would_ take it."  
Her lips pulled back in a snarl as she slowly turned on him; Hook didn't flinch

"But the asking was me being a gentlemen."

Red was ominously silent as the wolf in her tried to stare him down. The darkness that sometimes lurked in Killian's eyes emanated from his every pore under her gaze, unmoved by the threat. Red's expression didn't change but when it was clear he wasn't backing down she took a small step back, a concession of sorts. Emma felt a slight tension in her shoulders ease at the gesture but like her step back it was diminutive. Killian now turned to her and he seemed to see something in her expression, slowly holding up his arms in a placating gesture. He took a careful step forward, thankful to whatever higher power that she had been relieved of all her weapons. He understood why Graham had been watching her like he had now, the look in her eye told him just how precarious an edge Emma stood on.

"Easy Swan," he said in an almost lulling tone, "even you have to admit that's a lot of evidence against the lad."

"Accusations, not evidence. He didn't do this," she asserted again, watching them all like he'd seen her watch her enemies.

"He really did," Red growled, Graham's hand un-obtrusivly wrapping in her cloak to hold her back, just in case.

"Emma, you know Red's not lying or you'd call her on it," Graham tried, but Emma was clearly not ready to budge.

"They'll kill him," she told Graham, hands clenching into fists. Hook took another careful step forward and her eyes locked on him, an alarming stillness coming over her like a snake about to strike.

"I won't," he told her.

"Emma he will, you know he will!" Peter said from behind her. Killian turned his gaze back on Peter and he saw the wordless menace lurking behind those ice blue eyes, silencing him instantly.

"I want to get to the bottom of this and killing him doesn't assist that end. You know when someone is lying to you."

She said nothing but he knew better than to take that as agreement. Red had begun shifting weight from foot to foot, giving away her impatient desire to get at her traitor. Emma looked away from Hook at the sound warily as Graham pulled griped her cloak harder, hissing her name under his breath like a warning; she either didn't hear it or ignored him.

"Emma look at me," Hook said, drawing her focus back to him, "have I told you a lie?" he asked. She didn't see even a hint of obscurity, knowing all his tricks this time round.

"... No," she answered finally.

"Put this to bed lass, turn around and ask him yourself. Either way he answers he reveals himself."

Emma didn't want to turn around, she felt like some monster lurked behind her she didn't want to face. She swallowed before forcing a nod but hesitated to move; Hook courteously took a step back from her. Emma wished Red would do the same but would have to make due with Graham being at the ready to stop her, so slowly she turned sideways to look at Peter while keeping a wary eye on everyone else. There was Rebel, that mop haired teen she'd been scared to take through the trees; the awkward posturing, way-to-honest pirate. Felt like years ago; Rebel had been the only ally she'd had at one point, even if he hadn't been able to really help. Couldn't be him, fucking ridiculous. Her heart was thudding in her throat.

"Peter?" just his name, all the questions carried in her tone.

"I'm not a spy for The Evil Queen," he answered resolutely. There was a beat as everyone watched her for her reaction. Immediately Killian knew something was wrong, she was staring at Peter harder than she'd ever stared before where once it had taken a mere glance for her to know.

"Say it again," she ordered. Peter looked frustrated by the request, Killian surprised by it.

"I'm not a spy for The Evil Queen."

"Again Peter."

"I'm not a spy for The Evil Queen," he said, a worry beginning to show in his eyes.

"Again," she almost yelled.

"I'm not a spy for The Evil Queen!"  
Emma had never been more of an open book to Killian, confusion and distress clear on what he could see of her face as she fell back a step from Peter.

"Well?" Red snapped from behind her.

"I... I can't tell." It was almost a whisper. Peter looked at a loss as well, entire body suddenly knotted with twice the tension of only a moment ago.

"What do you mean you can't tell, you can always tell!" Red replied impatiently.

"Easy," Graham warned, but Red seemed to have entirely blocked him out now.

"Just give me a second," Emma said a little desperately. Killian was opening his mouth to say something but he didn't get the chance to get any words out.

"Damnit Emma, you can't adopt this one!" Red blurted out angrily. She snapped; Emma turned on her heel, pulled her fist back and slugged Red in the jaw before anyone could even draw their next breath.

"Fuck!" Graham was there like a bolt of lightning, wrapping Emma in his arms and trapping hers by her sides. He pulled her both out of the way and away from Red who was sitting in the sand with big bewildered brown eyes as Emma fought him. As soon as Graham had her the crew was descending on Peter. He managed to get to his feet, getting a total of three strides into a dead run before his feet were knocked from under him. His back his the sand knocking the breath out of him, leaving him staring up at the ominous looming figure of his Captain above him.

"Get him up."

Rough hands seized Peter and dragged him to his feet, standing him before Hook as they forced his arms behind his back and lashed his wrists together. The glinting metal of Killian's hook weighed on his shoulder, a heavy cold threat.

"The number one reason you still breathe is because to kill you would alienate allies," Hook said in a soft tone that only made his words all the more chilling. To Peter's credit he didn't bend under them.

"Good men died today. If you're truly the spy that alone should give you cause to be afraid."

A spark of something showed in the boys brown eyes, a mere flicker that revealed something he hadn't expected to see. In that second Peter looked less like the bumbling honest teen he made himself out to be and more like a man, truly committed to a goal.

"You've made a mistake today," Peter told him, more stonily then he'd ever seen the lad speak.

"Not as greatly as you've error-ed lad. Tell me what the Queen knows and when we're done here I may simply leave you on Neverland instead of burying you here."

"Emma would stop you," Peter seethed back, trying to call his bluff. Hook grinned, an empty and terrifying expression.

"Emma would never know. Get him out of my sight, keep him alive for now," he finished to his men, almost with disgust.

* * *

"Red, you ok?" Graham grunted as Emma tried to elbow him to get free of the cage that was his arms.

"I turned with the hit," Red answered, eyes down cast as she touched her jaw, "hardly felt it."

"Get off me Graham!" Emma yelled over her.

"Calm down," he said, voice showing the strain of containing her furious fight to get free of him. She tried to kick him and he gave her a single hard shake.

"Hey!" he snapped, "get a hold of yourself."

They'd begun to drag Peter away and Emma stilled completely as he started calling out for her.

"I'm not a traitor Emma you gotta believe me! Emma, please!"

Killian watched as she squeezed her eyes shut at the sound of his voice, hands curled into fists that shook, teeth grit as if that would drown out his pleas. He glowered after the boy; that he would even try to appeal to Emma infuriated him, especially when he knew what it was doing to her. Hook grabbed Smee by his shoulder and yanked him back roughly before he could walk away.

"Shut. Him. Up." he growled. Smee visibly swallowed, hand reaching up to adjust his cap as he nodded vigorously.

"Of course Captain, won't hear another peep from him, promise." Hook let him go and Smee scrambled away to carry out his order. He took a deep breath, then went to Graham, still holding the motionless Emma.

"He's of more value alive Emma," he assured her. She didn't open her eyes or respond to him at first. Then -

"Let me go."

Killian only barely heard her say the words, obviously spoken to Graham.

"Are you good?" he asked warily.

"Now."

"Emma-"

"Now."

Graham caught Hook's eye before letting her go, taking a step back from her as he did so. She walked away with tight controlled steps, past Hook to one of the boats. She grabbed the lip of the boat and hung her head, her grip turning her knuckles white, her one arm still trembling badly. _Hold it together. __Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in...  
_She felt him behind her, not close enough to crowd her but enough to let her know he was there.

"A minute," Emma spat, not looking back to answer his unvoiced question.

"Think you need more than just a minute love."

Seriously, was it really showing that bad? Sure, Hook read her better than most but even he thought she was falling apart and she fucking wasn't. She wasn't... but he was absolutely right and she hated it.

"The forest is your expertise Swan," he said loudly, almost like he wanted others to overhear him. "Would you mind terribly scouting a little before we head out?"

There was no need to scout, he knew Neverland far better than she did. He was gracefully giving her an out so she could go pull her head together. Normally her pride wouldn't have let her take it, today she seized it with both hands.

"Not at all," she answered simply. He watched as she walked away from him, heading off for the tree line.

* * *

Graham had immediately turned his attention to Red, still sitting in the sand, eyes on her feet even now. He reached down and offered his hand to pull her up, she didn't take it. If he didn't know better he'd think she was almost ashamed.

"You and Emma are my pack," she told him seriously.

"I'm beginning to understand that."

"I'm not sorry for trying to take out a threat to my pack," she said defensively, meeting his eyes and ignoring his hand. He crouched down to her level, gently reaching forward to run his thumb along her jaw line where Emma had hit her.

"And you shouldn't be." It was a touch swollen but that would go away quickly, wouldn't even be a bruise likely thanks to her wolf reflexes. He was relieved to see she was mostly unhurt; both however were going to be hurting later about their actions. She bit her lip as he cupped her face, eyes sliding to the side.

"However your less than level headed approach didn't exactly help."

"... I shouldn't have said what I did," she admitted quietly. It was a sight to behold, seeing Red contrite about being rash and blunt.

"Probably not," he acknowledged, "but what's done is done. You'll both work it out."

"How do you know?" she asked doubtfully, looking back to her feet.

"Well, she avoided your nose and teeth," he observed, almost lightly, "very good sign, trust me." She smiled at him a little and he offered his hand again. She took it and he pulled her up with him and into his embrace. Red peered around his shoulder to see Emma's blond head disappearing into the trees, Hook merely watching her go. She'd heard him saying some bullshit about scouting, she could almost see him counting down to give her a buffer. He fell into step to follow her, she could tell he hadn't finished his count down.

"Since when did you start trusting Hook to watch Emma's back?" she asked, knowing by the exchange of glances the two had that he'd agreed to let the Captain handle this.

"I don't need to trust him," he confessed, his voice rumbling pleasantly in his chest as he held her, "he needs her too much to risk hurting her right now."

"... Also he loves her," Red told him. His arms seemed to tighten around her pulling her closer, she almost heard his jaw clench before he answered.

"He loves his revenge more."

* * *

Motes of dust glinted in the air, through streams of twilight like sparks as Emma forced herself not to run through the tall grass. She couldn't take in the beauty of the flowers she'd never seen or the way the entire island smelt fresh like after a rainstorm, she was too busy trying to catch her breath. She felt like like she couldn't get enough air as she broke through the tall grass. She was pulled to a stop oddly enough by a tree; It wasn't special, there was a mix of trees here apparently, what stopped her about this one was it was the most familiar. Not as tall as the ones in her forest, sturdiest climbing branch was six feet off the ground at best. It was the kind of tree she would have climbed into to spend the night in a pinch, before she'd finished her look out points that is. All it took was that memory and for some reason she couldn't explain she was trying to climb it. Her bad arm shook worse, hand weakly trying to grab hold of the bark. Her fingers scrabbled against the wood, unable to hold on, still trembling too much to pull herself up. She tried again and again, fingers aching as a tear of frustration trailed down her cheek. She brushed it away angrily on the back of her sleeve, she would not cry. Crying didn't solve a damn thing, crying was for weak lost little girls and that damn well wasn't her anymore. She felt like she'd run a mile, why was it so hard to get her breath? She collapsed at the base of the tree, unable to muster enough strength to her arm for the climb, busy trying to draw a deep enough breath to fill her lungs.  
How could it be Peter? How come she never saw it coming? Why, every time, did it always blind side her? And why couldn't she tell if he'd been lying or not?

_Same reason as __the first time __it happened__..._

Emma could never go back to the forest, she could deal with that, the world was a big place. She didn't want to rule a kingdom, she'd be miserable and her only solution was to let her parents think she was dead – she could just about stomach that. But her own son did not remember her, Henry thought her his enemy and people who she grew fond of were consistently stabbing her in the back. It was just too much, she felt lost. Her heart was beating so hard and fast in her chest she half expected it to burst, putting her hand over it as if she could slow it. What the hell was she doing? She put her head in her hands and tried with all her might to hold on and keep some control of herself; Emma didn't do breakdowns, they were beneath her.

_Pull it together, pull it together..._

She couldn't-

"Breathe Emma."

She didn't look up at the sound of Hook's voice, she'd know he'd follow, she'd just hoped it would take him a little longer to find her. She tried to tell him one generally went walk about to be alone, she just had to get enough air first. She felt his hand on her shoulder, pressing her back a little as if to straighten her posture.

"In and out darling, nice and slow," he coached as she dropped her hands to look at him. He was looking at her like she was doing nothing out of the ordinary, no judgment in his eyes. He'd seen her hysterical once and once was too many. She was not hysterical, she just needed to catch her fucking breath.

"Go away Hook," she said on the end of a short exhale, feeling dizzy.

"And let you pass out here all alone?" he shook his head "Not terribly likely love, besides," he caught her eye and held it seriously. "It's time to stop running Swan."

Emma actual found it in her to bristle, he was trying to tell he what to do now? Maybe what she needed to do was punch him in the face. She was so damn angry, why couldn't he just go away?  
_He's watching you cra-_

"Slow your breathing," Hook told her again, firm tone interrupting her thoughts as his hand tightened on her shoulder to steady her further as she started to gasp a little.

"So busy," she said, voice so breathy it was barely above a harsh whisper "expecting you to burn me *gasp* didn't see it coming from anyone else."

"Hey, focus – just calm down."

Emma wanted to tell him to just fuck off, but couldn't get her breath to do it; so this once she decided to listen. She leaned her forehead against his shoulder and closed her eyes, holding a lung full of air before slowly letting it out, just as slowly drawing another. She held it a moment and then repeated. She did it again, then again and again, steadying herself bit by bit, returning normal. Hook watched her back rise and fall as she seemed to get a calmer rhythm to each breath, her heart following suit.

"There we go, nice and easy," he said, reaching up and stroking her hair lightly.

"This has never happened to me before," she said, voice sounding less strained if also a bit tired. For some reason it felt important to her that he know that, that she was never usually this _weak_.

"... How about what happened with Peter?"  
She was silent for so long that for a moment he thought she wasn't going to answer him.

"Just once," she admitted finally in a quiet voice.

"Tell me."

He wasn't really demanding or unkind when he said it, but it didn't sound like a request either. Her anger hit her like a wave, pulling her head off his shoulder and shoving at him. Hook almost fell to his back, surprised by her volatile reaction.

"Seriously? Digging and pushing even now?" she nearly hissed, "You don't have a right to my past, especially when you're all take and no give."

She was so tired of being dug into, of others either knowing more about her than she did or just considering her secrets their due. She was tired of having a glaring light shining into her when he was still a dark mystery.

"You know things about me," he tried, sounding a touch indignant.

"Most of those I figured out on my own, you've told me hardly anything."

How had this become about him? Killian opened his mouth to tell her he'd told her a great deal of his life, how he'd watched the Dark One kill his wife, his quest for revenge even! When that was all he could think of he stopped, closing his mouth. Those were really the only things he had to speak to her of after three hundred years?

"Not much to tell," he tried finally, expression the most blasé she'd ever seen it. She almost snorted.

"Bullshit, personal histories like ours are inked in tears and blood," she said as her ocean colored eyes seared into him.

"Tell me Hook, over the last three hundred years which have you shed more of?"

His face closed off to her so fast it actually jarred her, like all the candles in a house burning out at once on a dark night. The silence weighed on them both and Emma palmed her face, why was she being so aggressive towards him? Well, she knew but she hated admitting it, could barely think it really; however the time for running from things was done.  
It sucked being in love with a man you didn't trust.

"Sorry," she said after a moment, pulling one leg up so she could rest her elbow on her knee.

"Could you... just tell me something? Anything about you?"

Hook remained quiet, looking into the distance instead of at her. She felt like sighing, she'd expected as much. Really it was the smart move to say nothing, she should follow start following his lead, maybe she'd actually see the backstabbings coming if she did. She began pulling her walls back up, tamping everything back into place and wondering if they'd hold long enough to finish what they'd started when he spoke.

"I was born too a noble family," he told her, a far away look on his face. His voice startled her so much it took a second to take in what he'd told her.

"... I figured." His manner of speaking had always struck her as rather elegant for a pirate. Even so apparently he didn't appreciate her response, frowning at her. She turned her gaze down to her feet, thinking of something to tell him in return.

"I, uh, adopted Henry."

"I figured," he parroted, thinking back to Red's careless taunt. He saw the walls wavering slightly at his willingness to give a little of himself. He felt like they'd begun something, a new game, buying secrets with secrets; revealing his past for glimpses of hers. He tested the waters with another tidbit.

"I won the Jolly Rodger from a drunk Captain in a card game, only thing I've ever truly owned." he said. He saw something that almost constituted a smile cross he face.

"He must have been smashed to bet a ship that fast made of enchanted wood."

"Well he didn't want to honor it when he lost but I... persuaded him to make good," he confided to her with a sharp smile.

"I'll just bet you did." She seemed to be thinking of what to offer him in return for his tidbit before settling on something.

"The first time I met Graham we got into a fight cause he called me a liar when I told him I lived in the forest, he pulled my hair after I kicked him in the shin."

"Did you win the tussle?" he asked hopefully.

"We sort of tied, I gave him a bloody nose and he bruised my arm. I like to think I won technically."

He chuckled at that, imagining the little blond who was already a firecracker. He was picking up on the unspoken rules she was setting. Even now she balanced her scales, keeping her past in kind with what he revealed. If he wanted something deeper from her he'd have to dig as well. He wondered for a minute how badly he wanted to know more about her, if he was willing to offer up core things about himself. Surprisingly he found he did.

"My father died when I was four, the only thing I remember of him was he was loud, crude and even then that I disliked him greatly."

He slid his eye to the side, watching for her reaction. She looked calmer, stiller, listening to him tell bits of his tale as she pulled her other leg up so her knees were pulled up against her chest, a strangely vulnerable gesture. He surprised her when he continued.

"My mother passed when I was fifteen, taught me to be a gentleman unlike my father. I'd never wanted that life so when she died I just left everything behind. When I laid eyes on the ocean at sixteen I knew I was destined for a life on it."  
Emma listened, taking every word in. She didn't look at him to see if any of it was true, afraid she may not be able to tell.

"You sounded like a brave kid," she said.

"Nah, just restless really," he shrugged "I wanted to see the world, and to break all the rules as I did." Hook hadn't told many people that story, he felt almost exposed, wondering if this was how she felt knowing he knew all those things she'd never told him about her. It was a wonder anyone op-

"Want not of truth or lies," she said, interrupting his thoughts. He raised his eyebrow at the simple vague phrase. Was that her offering against his? How was that her past? He was about to ask for clarification but she was already illuminating her statement.

"You all asked me once what the secret was to always knowing lies when I saw them. If you want something to be true, want it to be a lie, you are willing to be deceived." she took a deep breath, trying to work through her next words as if speaking them was difficult.

"When I was nineteen I wanted to believe it was true that a man I knew loved me. I wanted to believe it was a lie that he was using me to escape people he owed money too, that his sweet heartfelt words were empty." she stripped the words of all emotion as she spoke them, like she was telling someone else's story.

"When I got him through the forest he abandoned me and that was all I was left with – wanting." she tilted her head back to look at the sky painted with it's dark purples and streaks of red and orange.

"Bit of a pattern of mine I guess."

He wasn't sure what she was referring too but he knew it had been not an easy tale for her to divulge, especially to him. He remembered a conversation they'd had in the Dark Forest about being in love, pondering how badly one such as her needed to be burned for them to deny the fact that they'd ever been in love, now he knew.

"Wah, wah, I know. But I'm not like you Hook, I can't pretend things don't hurt." she wrapped her arms around her legs. Yes, he was good at pretending things didn't hurt. Everyone had their ways of dealing, or not dealing really. However, if he could when they returned from Neverland, he might just have to find this other man and simply _deal_ with him.

"Feels like your whole world is burning doesn't it?" he asked, like he understood that feeling well.

"Love not working out?" she shook her head in disagreement "That's nothing compared to losing one you do love." He felt his teeth grind together at how close to home her words hit.

"We both know that. Rumple took Henry's memories," she told him, like now he'd gotten her to open up she couldn't really stop.

"I know he did. I almost feel like I've lost him all over again." her hands clenched into tight fists.

"I never really got why people went looking for revenge until now. I want to watch his blood boil for taking all that from him. And me." A spark flickered in her eyes, one he'd grown all to familiar with in his reflection.

"Careful, that anger will keep you in famine Emma, forcing you to feed it with bits of yourself. Revenge may sate it but make no mistake my dear it is an end and nothing more. You will be no less empty when you're done."

She was truly shocked to hear that advice from him of all people.

"You really believe that?" she asked. He nodded without hesitation.

"Then why are you so hell bent on it?"

He leaned his head back against the tree and closed his eyes as he spoke.

"Don't get me wrong Swan, there is some pleasure in exacting it, in fact the more I've thought about it the more I've liked that the crocodile gave you this advantage. I like him having a hand in his own demise."

Emma wanted to sigh, because now that he said it she couldn't help but feel the same way and she didn't really_ want_ to, she just wanted Henry. She shouldn't have worried, his next words killed that budding dark feeling in her.

"But my pursuit of vengeance is a chain, growing heavier the longer I carry it. At times it has kept me anchored when I would have drifted away, but it's still a chain." she saw something like pain pull at his expression for a brief moment, but he went on.

"It weights on me. Truth be told I wish to be free of it at this point, but I can't let it go."

"... Why? Emma asked tentatively. His eyes remained shut as he answered her.

"Because how can I say I ever loved Milah if I let her death go unanswered?"

Emma was speechless, even if she'd had an answer she couldn't have given it to him. Killian gave the word 'driven' a whole new meaning, but that wasn't the impressive part, because anyone could let wrath rule them. What drove him was... much deeper.

"Hoo... Killian."

He felt the back of her hand brush his and opened his eyes to look at her. She wasn't looking back, almost like she was too shy as her hand crept closer to him, gently resting the back of it against his. Neither one of them wanted to say anything, honestly Killian was waiting for her to pull away but the moment didn't come. It was so small a touch, but it conveyed something so vast words escaped them.

"No matter how many times the world burns," she told him resolutely, "we don't. There's more than one world out there." Emma sounded like she'd finally found herself some sure footing, no longer scrambling to escape things she felt she couldn't face. He looked down at her hand resting lightly against his, elegant but worn from a daring life in a deadly forest. She wasn't just telling him, she was telling herself this. Like that he knew she was back. He just gazed at her for a moment, wondering if there was a world left for him; and if she'd be in it. With out warning Emma jerked like she'd been shocked, eyes widening so that the whites of them could have been seen from miles away.

"Emma!?" her name fell from his lips heavy with alarm as he grabbed her by the elbow.

"I'm ok," she said instantly, hand pressing against her temple. The curtain that seemed to obscure the knowledge Rumple had given her had just flung itself back, revealing itself with a sensation akin to a jolt of ice shooting through her whole being.

"Its the memories, know where we need to go." And the knowledge was not the least bit comforting, because the image of this destination in her mind set her danger alarms ringing.

Killian looked at her, eyes asking loudly where exactly that was. The information settled in her mind and he watched her mouth twist with displeasure as it did.

"I get the feeling you're seriously not going to like it."

**...**

**EMOTIONS! I don't know when I'll be able to write the next chapter so I made this one a bit longer than usual, hope you guys enjoyed. Also maybe it's just me but this ending seemed almost... dare I say kind? Must be losing my touch, lol!  
Muse: Oh I'm sure you'll soon find your stride, very soon in fact ;D  
Me: Annnnnnnd worried.**

**Have a great one guys!  
**


	14. Chapter 14

**My muse (apparently the love child of 'Where's Waldo' and 'Carmen Sandiego') ran away and was playing "where in the fucking world is the inspiration? WHERE THE HELL IS IT!?" with me.  
**

**Muse: (Laughs evilly)**

**Sorry about that! You guys aren't the only one she can be cruel to and hopefully she's back to stay. But finally we are back - shall we begin?**

**...**

"Perhaps my instructions were too mired in subtly Henry."

The Evil Queens voice was like the sharp bite of frost, cutting through him as he knelt with his head down in front of the ship's mirror. All the hairs stood up on the back of his neck under the hard, livid glare of her eyes. He was usually afforded a measure of leniency simply because he was her heir, but he could tell that today that would not be enough to exempt him from her wrath.

"Capture the girl, sink the ship; you failed to do either," she hissed.

"I almost had her-"

"Almost?" she snapped coldly before he could finish, her harsh words drawing his gaze to meet hers. Her grip on a goblet of dark wine continued to tighten until he was sure it would break.

"You had three ships to their one, you had three times their numbers in royal armed guard, you had them proverbially cornered, my trump card even disabled their cannons!" Her knuckles turned white around the glass her grip was so hard, spitting her next words past grit teeth.

"And the best you can offer me is a pitiful whimper of _almost?!_" She threw the goblet hard enough that the sound of it shattering out of sight made Henry flinch.

"This was not my fault," he said as evenly as he could manage "you know that."

"Do I?" she asked, voice somehow managing to drop a few more notches in temperature. Henry kept his eyes averted as he spoke.

"Captain Hesley was ordered not to engage the Jolly Roger, he was ordered to hold position in front of the portal." He hesitated briefly, wanting to add that the disobeying of that order cost them two ships and countless lives, but knew better. She would consider his upset at the loss of life mourning, a weakness in her eyes; and she loathed that in all its forms.

"He disobeyed and his friendly fire cost us Emma Swan's capture." Henry found saying her name had come to bother him, like for some reason he wasn't saying it right.

"_Emma, Emma the orphan!"_ He couldn't get her face out of his mind, the sheer emotion when she'd looked at him, begged him to remember; so unlike the cold he often faced in his mother's expressions...  
The Queen watched him silently after he'd spoken, dissecting what thoughts she could glean from the schooled expression he'd painstakingly learned to keep around her.

"I have no explanation for his firing on the ship..." Henry's eyes riveted to her as he said the words, watching her right back.

"... Neither do I," she said after an almost imperceptible pause. The corner of Henry's mouth only barely ticked.

"Did you speak to him?" she asked, like it would have been inconsequential if he had. The slight note of tension in her voice was out of place in the inquiry.

"No, captain Hesley did not survive the battle and I've not yet had the chance to debrief what remains of his crew." He'd been reading his mother for years, he'd had too in order to learn to navigate her mercurial nature. Where anyone else would have missed it, he saw something that he almost wished he hadn't - relief. Henry's hand clench into a fist, he was unfortunate enough to be caught doing so. Regina's eyes narrowed, interpreting this as a disapproval of her callous reaction.

"He endangered a princes life Henry, I would have had him executed where he stood had he lived. Pity of any kind is out of place in you."

He nodded, un-clenching his fist immediately.

"Forgive me."

"Stand," she ordered, continuing on as he got to his feet.

"Ms. Swan seeks a weapon in the realm she has escaped too, something my magic may not be equipped to deal with." She wished for the hundredth time that she could simply kill the little blond wretch and watch the enchantment she anchored break; alas that was not in the cards – at the moment. After she served her purpose perhaps...  
Henry frowned at this new information, finding it somewhat alarming.

"I cannot afford for it to return with them. Though I find myself very intrigued by the nature of the 'weapon' they've gone questing for," she admitted, mostly to herself. _And how they came to hear of such a weapon...  
_She'd been a prodigal pupil in the study of magics most her life, a snap of her fingers had been enough to foul assassination attempts for years; another snap to break the assassins themselves; she couldn't help but be curious as to what it was. The Evil Queen had briefly considered it may have something to do with the magics Emma Swan had unearthed in herself but quickly dismissed it – raw untrained power only counted for so much and no talisman could change that.

"Can your... spy do nothing else to assist us?" he almost let how he felt about that particular gem show in his voice. The question pulled the Queen from her thoughts and back to him.

"I'm assured they most certainly can and will, the weapon will not be retrieved. However I must begin reserving magics none the less, if this fight makes it to my doorstep I wish to be prepared. How is your standing?" she asked.

"The men are being tended at a healing lodge, we have little damage to the ship but I would not recommend sending us back to wait for their return, we carry too many injured." She mulled this information over before an idea sparked in her eyes, a very unpleasant smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

"Very well, return home Henry. I'll have something of my own waiting for them." Henry nodded, making to leave when she cleared her throat to grab his attention. He turned back, attempting to look sheepish for not waiting to be dismissed.

"Did any ranking officers from Captain Hesley's ship survive?" she asked pointedly.

"Would you wish to speak with them?" he asked carefully.

"No, I want them executed where they stand." Henry's jaw tightened at the callous order.

"See to this yourself Henry, every last one of them." Henry could help but think it seemed extreme, even for her.

"May I ask why?" it was a dangerous inquiry considering her mood, but he wished to hear the answer she'd give him. Her eyes darkened at being questioned, she wanted him to simply do as she commanded and thereby cover her bases. She did not wish to jeopardize her son's loyalty to her by him finding out what she'd done, so she chose to answer him to avoid his suspicion. Her son was a smart boy after all.

"For following a captain who endangered a crown prince," she said; then belatedly she wondered if he was referring to her demand about him carrying her death penalties out personally. The Evil Queen had always sensed a reluctance to carry out executions, and for that she was determined to have him lob a few heads. He was too familiar with his men.

"You will see to it personally so they know how high_ you_ make the cost of treason," she explained further, which was far more than she usually gave him. He was an extension of her and so the Evil Queen would weed this reluctance from him now before the weakness could grow, making his men fear him was crucial to maintaining power. He gave her a respectful bow, satisfied by his acceptance she cut the connection with a wave of her hand.  
Henry exited the cabin, feeling sick. Murder men for following orders? Yet the punishment for mutiny was death, leaving every man given a bad order a dead man – how was that a fair ruling? He motioned to a soldier and issuing a quick harsh order. In moments captain Hesley's first mate, the only surviving officer of rank, was brought before him.

"Mr. Gordan."

The first mate straightened his posture instantly, snapping off a salute, the whites of his eyes far too visible.

"The Queen has no knowledge of giving your captain any orders," Henry told him calmly, referring to the disturbing implications of the debrief he'd had with the man before contacting his mother, the debrief he'd lied about. The man was already sweating profusely, Henry didn't blame him, he was making a heady accusation of his Queen on the heels of his captains actions, either way he was doomed.

"I swear my liege, our orders were from the queen herself, we were given leave to fire on the Jolly Roger."  
Henry watched the man silently for some time, pulling bits and pieces of what he'd learned together, it was beginning to form an ugly suspicious picture he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to see.

"Mr. Gordon you are here by stripped of all rank and discharged from the Queen's Royal navy," he said, reaching forward to pluck the royal crest from his shirt.

"Your name will be stripped from record, you may as well have gone down with the ship because you are, after this moment, dead to this kingdom." The man appeared dreadfully apprehensive, like Henry had not finished telling him the full extent of his punishment which he was sure would be lethal.

"Trade in your clothes for common ones and leave this kingdom, travel by night if you can," Henry elaborated. He gestured to the soldier that had Mr. Gordon brought before him and he discreetly slipped a bag of coins into Mr. Gordon's hand. He looked so stunned he could barely take it; Henry looked into his eyes to be sure he understood what he was trying to tell him.

"Never return Mr. Gordon, for your own sake."

* * *

Killian's face had steadily become more and more blank as Emma described the place she had seen in her mind, demonstrating an increasing effort to keep it that way. She told him about the deep sunken in ground, looking as if it had once been a large lagoon that spanned an impressive distance, earth now parched and cracked by sun. Almost dead center of the dried up lagoon the dirt began to bulge upward, until rock clawed out from the earth and opened like the giant yawning maw of a monster. It looked almost two hundred feet high, rock stalagmite hanging from the roof of stone like rows and rows of teeth. The slanted hood of gray weathered rock elevated it from 'scary dark hole in the ground' to 'terrifying cave gullet, lined with stone teeth.' Emma had the same feeling about that cave now that she'd had as a young girl about the Dark Forest the day she'd stood on it's border - that was where she had to go. When Emma finished relaying all this Hook looked towards the sun balancing on the horizon with a calculating air, like he was trying to divine something important from it.

"It's close to water but I don't know if it's ocean water or what," she tried. Killian still said nothing and she had the urge to pull her hair out.

"Hook I already have a bad feeling about this place, your ominous silence is _not_ helping."

"I know the destination Swan, and you're right – I don't like it. I was hoping to not traverse quite that deep into the heart of Neverland," he sighed, pressing the heel of his hand to his brow.

"Why?"

"Neverland has two peculiar effects on those who visit her shores, the deeper you go the greater toll the pair of influences take on you." He looked up at her, "the cave you saw is called 'Worlds Mouth', a dangerous place on it's own; and it is deep in Neverland."

The way he said it sent a chill down her spine.

"What influences?" she asked slowly.

"The first is whatever you may struggle to control or hide in your heart is intensified. Which, believe me, can escalate into a fight to the death with yourself if you let it." There was a brief moment where something like unease crossed his face.

"What was it for you when you were here last?" Emma asked cautiously, though she had a few good guesses. He turned away, studiously examining the horizon again.

"I'm sure it's changed since my last visit. The first effect, I believe, is meant to distract you from the quieter more nefarious influence," he went on, not so subtly avoiding the question, "Neverland makes you forget why you want to leave."

Emma felt her heart go cold. She was accustom to physical dangers, external threats to survival that she had to face, things she could outrun, out fight, or out think. It seemed Neverland preferred to pit you against the one opponent immune to those tactics - yourself.

"So while we're trying to control amplified desires and vices, Neverland cherry picks your brain?" Emma hated this place already and she'd only barely arrived.

"Forgive me, I didn't think we would be journeying deep enough for it to become a real problem," he said, running back his hand through his hair as if frustrated. Forget she had to save her son? To eliminate a queen who would hunt her to the ends of any realm? What her ten year old self had already given to save that kingdom? When hell froze over.

"If it makes you forget how did you manage to remember your revenge for three hundred years?" She watched his eyes flicker down to his wrist where his tattoo resided.

"Tangible reminders act like talismans to protect memories here."

Emma took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before letting it out. She'd have to find something because she couldn't afford to forget.

"That's not all is it?"  
He didn't answer her.

"No point in stopping now Hook, lay it on me."

"The dangers change with time at Worlds Mouth. Your vision of the place was at high noon yes?"

Emma didn't bother to hide her surprise and he took that as conformation.

"That's one of the very few times the lagoon is bone dry, usually it's not and therefore occupied with mermaids. If you're in good standing with any gods I suggest praying to one because we may need it," he told her. He was worried about mermaids? The look on her face must have said it all because he leaned closer to her and said "These one's don't owe you any favours love, at heart a mermaid is a jealous, whims driven, pitiless creature."

Fan-fucking-tastic.

"Are we going to have to... fight them?" Emma asked warily, not relishing the idea at all.

"No. They can be bribed but their prices are... tricky." Now his gaze turned to his hook; "The 'value' of something to a psychic creature can be rather unconventional. Prized personal keepsakes do nicely."

Emma had never had a keepsake her whole damn life, she never put sentiment in objects over actual people. Suddenly they were the key to holding onto memories and bartering with mermaids, go figure. Wait a second, "did you just refer to your hook as a keepsake?"

Killian held it up for her inspection, "Plenty of people have a left hand love, how many have a hook?"

"You're not going to offer it up are you?" Emma asked, sounding horrified, "you need that!"

He raised an eyebrow at her. She felt stupid instantly, but she really disliked the idea of him giving up an extra weapon, especially one so... central to him.

"Fond of the attachment, are you?" he asked, barely suppressing that damn smirk of his.

"Yes Killian, your _accessory_ makes you very special," Emma said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"No doubt, but to which _accessory_ do you refer darling?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows. _Should have seen that one __coming. _

"Real classy Hook." However, once more she saw the exchange for what it was, attempting to coerce her into feeling like the road ahead looked bumpier than it actually was. He still wasn't telling her something.

"So say we manage to keep control of ourselves," she began, pulling them back on track; "keep enough memories to remember why we have to leave before the portal closes and somehow bribe bitchy mermaids - what about the dangers _in_ Worlds Mouth?"

He grimaced, flirty facade vanishing at, quite obviously, the one question he'd hoped she wouldn't ask.

"Awfully perceptive aren't you lass? I'd tell you of course, but I've no idea as no one has resurfaced alive to tell – hence the suggestion of a prayer."  
It was quiet, all the dangers laid before her now. Emma's expression was now as blank as his had been at the beginning. Killian waited for her reaction, wondering if perhaps he should have told her more gently, perhaps still a bit fragile from her near break down only moments before. She took him completely off guard with her reaction.

"Huh," she said in a very non-plused tone. Hook just stared at her for a moment.

"That's it? That's all you have to say to the enormity of the obstacles in our way?"

"If you want me to freak out every time a litany of impossible obstacles gets in our way I wouldn't have time for anything else," Emma said, getting to her feet. One problem at a time, that was the only way to do it all.

"What about you? Not going to take your own advice and offer a prayer up for us?" she asked. Killian looked her up and down, as if re-evaluating the woman before him, how had he ever applied the word fragile to this woman he thought before letting a roguish grin curl his lips.

"I'm on the naughty list of most deity's I know of," he confessed, getting to his feet as well.

"I'm shocked, considering the regular choir boy you've made yourself out to be."

Hook tilted his head, as if she'd offered him some challenge.

"I could list you my favourite sins if you want convincing my love," he offered, brushing a lock of hair from her shoulder. My love? When had that endearment changed? It was small, shouldn't bother her, didn't mean anything; yet-  
Emma felt an almost tingling sensation where the barest heat of his touch grazed her and quickly smacked his hand away, no distractions.

"I don't think you could get to them all, even with Neverland time."

His smile took on that heated quality that was all flirty pirate.

"Quite ri-"

He was interrupted abruptly by the sound of whooping and hollering back the way they'd come from.

"What the hell was that?" Emma asked, wrinkling her brow. Killian's eyes widened as some realization came over him before gritting his teeth.

"Damnit to hell," he seethed, "back to the beach, now!" he ordered, running full tilt the way they'd came.

* * *

Red had been speaking with Graham as the boats were unloaded of a few sparse supplies one minute, and the next chaos was breaking loose. Suddenly small attackers started to flow from the trees onto the beach, their shrieking and hollering splitting the air. They looked as if they _were_ bits of the trees and tall grass, breaking free from the forest. Some immediately engaged pirates with reckless attacks while others looted whatever supply was closets to them. It took Red a full second or two to realize that they were actually children; little boys with charcoal and green paint greased over their faces. Branches and leaves were woven into their clothes and fashioned into bizarre looking little helmets as they attacked with crude spears and old rusty swords. Those few seconds taken to realize this was enough time for them to begin overrunning the men, three boys to every pirate.

"Are those kids?" Graham asked, clearly stunned.

"Lost boys!" Smee yelled, fending off the onslaught of boys with his blade while they cried "Pirates! Pirates!"

Graham and Red had never seen children move so fast, attack with such a mixture of vicious playfulness, battle cries mixed with wails of delight and occasionally pain. Graham spotted a few of the camouflage wearing boys taking advantage of the confusion the battle provided, going for the currently unguarded spoil that had drawn their interest – Peter.

"Shit, Red-"

"Go! I've got the ankle biters," she told him, pushing him forward. He didn't need to be told twice and took off running across the beach to where the boys were untying Peter.

Red tightened the clasp at her throat with a smirk, just about to wade into the brawl when she found herself surrounded by three lost boys, the oldest looking to be barely ten, two holding spears. She swiped out at them without hesitating, but found they were no longer where she was swinging. She tried again and the same thing happened, the boys speedily ducking from her reach, circling her as they spoke like her attempts to cuff them were, at best, bothersome.

"I've never seen a girl pirate before," one of them remarked, tugging at her cloak before darting under her badly aimed punch. She'd never been a fighter, she went wolf to do damage, she couldn't throw a punch to save her life. It seemed extreme to utilize her dual nature, she was a bit reluctant to turn her wolf loose on kids. When Red couldn't seem to move fast enough to cuff them she tried to get past them instead, but was immediately forced back with the half hearted jab of the crude spears.

"That's because there _are_ no girl pirates stupid, girls are mom's" another sneered as they continued to curiously circle, picking at her clothing and poking her.

"Oh listen, you can actually hear my fondness for children plummeting," Red muttered, swiping out again and still hitting nothing but air.

"What does plummet mean?" one of the wide eyed youths asked in a poorly concealed whisper.

"Think it's a fruit," the other shrugged.

"Wait a minute, Hook brought mom's to Neverland?" a voice squeaky with excitement seemed to realize, "Let's take her too!"

"Look how long her hair is," one said, as if he found it queer, reaching up to touch a lock of it. Red decided right about then that she'd hit her limit. Tapping into the wolf in her she slapped the offending hand away with her increased speed and snarled viciously, face elongating slightly to more of a muzzle as she bared the sharp teeth that came with it. All the boys screamed in unison and ran in the opposite direction of her, the squeaky voice yelling "Not a mom! Not a mom!" as he fled from the wolfish Red who took to chasing them.

* * *

Graham saw Peter nervously glancing up at his rapid approach as the boys tugged and sawed at his bonds to free his hands, ripping his gag away to urge the boys to hurry as he pointed at him. One boy turned to look in the direction Peter pointed, now noticing Graham barreling towards them. He grinned and gave some signal to... Graham?

Not him as it turned out, but a boy near him. That boy dropped the bag he was looting instantly and threw himself at Graham, jumping on his back and clubbing at his head with a bunched fist. He barely had time to even try shaking the boy before another was lunging at his legs in an attempt to bring him down. He only barely managed to keep himself upright, pain exploding at his ear as the kid on his back smashed his fist against it. Graham roared, reaching over his shoulder to pull the boy over his head and throw him into the sand, knocking the air from his lungs so he gaped like a fish. He began trying kicking the boy wrapped around his ankles free from him but quickly had to shift his attention to the kid who'd given the signal, now thrusting a rusty blade at his middle. Graham's eyes widened as he turned his body to avoid being impaled, slapping the sword from the boy's grip before he could try stabbing him again. These kids were by no means screwing around, yet the wide eyed look on the grease painted face still stayed his hand from finishing the move with the customary nose breaking elbow. He instead hit the boy on the chin, just enough to stun him and send him sprawling to the ground.

"HOOK!"

The cry drew all the gazes of the attacking children in the direction of the shouting voice for a brief still moment, then they began to retreat back to the forest. The boy wrapped around Grahams leg punched him behind the knee before scrambling to his feet and fleeing. Graham's knee collapsed the ground, ignoring the other scurrying children to look for Peter; just in time to see him disappearing into the tall grass with the rest of the lost boys, barely glancing back.

* * *

Emma and Hook burst from the trees onto the scene of battle and strangely enough she found herself needing a second to blink a few times and make sure she wasn't seeing things. The disharmonious sounds of battle and delight were from the chaos of pirates under attack by a group leaf and branch clad boys, not one of them over twelve.

"What in the hell?"

"Sonuvabitch," Hook hissed, drawing his cutlass. Emma jaw almost dropped as she grabbed his arm before he could enter the fray, alarmed he'd drawn a weapon.

"They're kids!" she said incredulous.

"No love," he said, pulling his arm from her grip "they're lost boys." he indicated her to look again with a nod of his head. They fought like they were going in for the kill, moving with the speed of lightning striking.

"Stay out of this fight, appearances of youth staying your hand will get you hurt Swan."

Before she had a chance to respond to _that_ he was striding forward, a dangerous ease to his every step. Emma actually found herself hesitating, she didn't know if she could fight kids, even ones that fought as viciously as these ones did. She teetered on whether or not she should at least try pulling clusters of kids and pirates apart until she saw a lost boy preparing to brain Smee with a club. He was fighting off two others trying to impale him with spears, he didn't see it coming. That decided her to make way into the insanity, she was a good fighter she reasoned, good enough not to actually hurt any of them and still protect herself. She yelled for Smee to look out as she ran, he didn't look in her direction but he must have heard her because he ducked just before the kid swung at his red capped head, barely missing him.

Emma didn't see what he did next because someone chose that moment to drop from a large tree arching over the beach and land directly in her path. Movement, an attempt to jab at her with something! Emma reacted instinctively, sweeping a wooden staff from its path with her wrist and striking out with her free hand. The person dodged under her punch with impressive speed, thrusting the staff at her chest this time. Emma only just avoided it, pivoting out of the way and hooking her leg behind her assailants at the same time. She slammed both palms into his middle and he crumpled inward, tripping backwards over her leg. His back hit the sand with a loud thud and Emma kicked what she now saw wasn't a staff, but a crude spear from his hand. She was about to mercilessly finish what she started until it registered that it was another young boy gasping up at her from the sand.

His clothing was patched and worn with use, decorated with seas shells, twigs and branches strategically strewn about to imitate crude armor. His face was greased with black and green paint like all the others, but his hair had highlights of bright scarlet, like he'd somehow dyed it himself. Big hazel eyes blinked up at her, a bright grin missing a tooth stretching his face. This kid, barely looking like he was twelve, had tried to stab her and yet he was grinning up at Emma from where he was like this was all some kind of game.

"You're fast for a mom!" he told her, voice sounding a bit strangled as he got his breath back. _For a mom?_ Emma thought, how did he know she was a mom? The delight faded from his face as he looked up at her, replaced with something darker and more adult than she'd expected in his young expression.

"Mom or not, I can't let that hit go unanswered," he declared seriously. Emma was almost impressed, but still couldn't look past his youth and the fact she'd already knocked him on his ass.

"Yeah; try that line again when your balls drop kid, I'm not fighting you."

Underestimating this boy proved to be a mistake. He flipped from his back onto his feet in front of her with a speed she almost didn't believe before kicking her knee out, leg folding in pain. She barely raised her hand in time to catch his wrist and stop him driving his fist into her throat. This kid was vicious, more so than she could be with him, he almost reminded her of Henry. Emma twisted his wrist with her fingers pressed into a painful pressure point, hoping to force him to submit. Her grip wasn't hard enough though and he slipped her hold, swinging at her head with his opposite hand. She found a thought crossing her mind before she attempted to doge, a thought she would never ever admit to thinking or say out loud – _should have __listened__ to Hook_. She just managed to duck her head under his fist and though it went against everything in her gut, she headbutted the boy. He stumbled back from her, clutching his forehead before his butt hit the sand a second time; Emma felt unduly guilty as he cussed. A boy with shaggy black hair running by saw him downed and skidded to a stop to pull him on his feet again.

"Rufio, you ok?" the boy asked. 'Rufio' answered this by slapping the boys hands away. The new comer looked at Emma, his jaw dropping.

"Rufio her hair is made out of gold!" he said, pointing at her for emphasis. Rufio rolled his eyes at the other boy, letting his hand slip from his head.

"Of course it's made of gold stupid, why else would Hook keep her around? He doesn't need a mom, he's a pirate."

Emma wasn't sure if she should be insulted by that or not. She was distracted from her own question by a tickling sensation on her forehead, prompting her to touch the cut at her hairline and frowning to find it bleeding a little again. She sighed as she got her feet under her, wiping it away quickly.

"She just knocked you on your ass Rufio," a chubby newcomer giggled as he waddled over to them.

"Shut your face marbles!" Rufio hissed at him.

"We should take her too!" The black haired one suggested excitedly. Emma raised her fists and squared her shoulders as they boys nodded in agreement, raising their crude weapons. This was not good. Right when she thought she might have to really hurt these kids (unsure if she even could hurt them) a leather clad shadow suddenly appeared behind the three boys; a lethal menacing darkness that spoke with a cool, gruff voice.

"Wouldn't recommend it lads, Miss Swan is a rambunctious guest."

The three boy's turned with alarm at Killian's intruding voice. Hook slashed the black haired boys staff in half before he could react, sending him flying with a kick to his solar plexus.

"Take it from someone who knows," he finished, like he had been very put upon by the experience. The chubby boy didn't bother trying to fight him.

"HOOK!" he yelled, Rufio seeming to draw a rusty sword from nowhere to lock Hook's blade with his own. Like the boy had raised some kind of alarm the beach cleared, lost boys running for the cover of the tall grass and trees. The chubby boy decided to make a daring run for Emma, like he intended to try to take her on his own. Emma was fairly confident she could deal with him, but she never got the chance as a gleaming hook caught in his shirt and threw him away from her like a rag doll. The boy wisely chose to scramble away with the others after that. Hook glanced away from the blade lock with Rufio to the trickle of blood on her forehead, eyes narrowing.

"I warned you," Hook said, like he couldn't resist an 'I told you so.'

"It's a pre-existing wound! Doesn't count!" Emma countered proudly, pointing at the cut he'd patched for extra emphasis.

"Never strike a lady Rufio, did no one ever teach you that?" Hook asked, turning his full focus on the boy whose arms trembled trying to keep Hook's cutlass at bay. Rufio seemed both delighted and terrified of Hook, grinning and trembling as he shrugged.

"I'll be glad to impart the lesson," Hook assured him. He shoved his blade against Rufio's to send him reeling. The boy leaned back so far to avoid the swipe of Hook's blade Emma fully expected him to fall backwards, but he righted himself like it was nothing and returned the favour by slashing at Hook's face.

Emma wasn't sure how to feel about this fight, her stomach was in knots watching the two of them. All the boys had disappeared into the tall grass and trees now except for this boy, locked in a duel with Hook. No pirate seemed to dare cross the divide between beach and forest after any of them.

"Lookie, lookie, we pissed off Hookie!" Rufo taunted, dropping into a ball and rolling between Hook's legs before leaping to his feet and attacking his back.

"Because we took the boy or want the Gold girl?" he asked, altering the course of his attack when Killian thrust his blade behind him and very nearly skewered the boy.

Emma wanted to run in and tear them apart from each other, it made her sick to watch Hook fight a boy, no matter how skilled.  
Killian used the flat of his blade to tear the antique weapon from Rufio's hand in a move Emma was all too familiar with herself, leaving him unarmed against the famous pirate captain who now stood before him imposingly.

"Return my prisoner or I'll string you up from one of your tree forts Rufio," Hook growled, advancing on the boy like the wrath of a violent storm. Rufio back peddled from him double time.

"All kids run with the Lost Boys in Neverland!" he declared fiercely, keeping out of Hook's reach.

"Peter's not a child."

"He's not a pirate either," Rufio sneered "can't see why you'd want him." Like that he just turned and ran, abandoning the fight abruptly, Hook was after him almost instantly. The men, Smee, Red and Graham, now free of the overwhelming numbers of Lost Boys, all attempted to cut off the boy's escape. Regardless Rufio slipped past them all like he was made of air, crowing as he disappeared into the tall grass. Still no pirates followed him beyond the beach, like to do so would be somehow foolish. Red however had no trepidation about following him in and would have continued to chase him had Smee not held out and arm to stop her.

"They lay traps," he explained simply, his distaste for the group of boys clear in his voice. Rufio called out from the grass, taunting them all as he ran deeper into the safety the foliage provided.

"Can't see why at all Hook! Unless you fear what he'll tell us about pirates!"

**...**

**If you go out in the woods tonight, you're in for a big surprise...**


	15. Chapter 15

**... If you go down in the woods today, you better go in disguise...**

**...**

Killian stood before Smee, posed like some black wave about to rear up and unleash its wrath as it crash over him. His arms crossed across his chest, hook glinting silver in the twilight, blue eyes searing into his first mate with an impossible cold, making his even tone of voice only that much more off putting.

"You lost my prisoner Mr. Smee."

"Captain-"

"You were left in charge for five minutes - we've been ransacked and you lost _my_ prisoner," he seethed, uncrossing his arms suddenly enough that Smee had to suppress a flinch.

"If you sought to stun me with incompetence you've exceeded all expectations."

"I can explain-"

Truly the poorest choice of words his first mate could have made. Hook felt his ire come to life like an out of control flame in his chest.

"Explain?" he hissed, stepping into Smee's personal space, "Perhaps you don't completely comprehend the consequence of your failure William."

Mr. Smee's eyes flitted about uneasily as he reached up to tug at his red cap nervously, taking a step back from his captain.

"We were already set to journey through Neverland's perilous powder keg as it was and you just gave the lost boys a tin full of matches," Hook told him, tone growing even more deadly with calm as he closed the space Smee had attempted to put between them with one slow step.

"How long do you think it will take for Peter to convince the lost boys to campaign against us for the women? I have to leave the men to guard our boats because I can no longer afford to take the chance they'll be stolen, we are now left with the long way to Worlds Mouth because those diminished numbers make the safest route and, in the words of Ms. Swan, do I use that term loosely." He very nearly yelled the last and Smee took two graceless steps back from him, eyes wide with fear. The overt reaction gave Hook a small bit of perspective on his temper. He closed his eyes for a moment, teeth grit as he let out a slow breath like it took some great effort to do so.

"Prepare what little supplies are left, if we meet an ambush on the way you will damn sure meet it with us," he snapped at Smee. He listened to his first mate quickly leave his presence. It was already starting, the magnifying effect of Neverland; he'd have to take care monitoring any (all) emotion he would normally censure, though Neverland especially made his wrath a terrible thing. He opened his eyes to glance at Emma a ways away from him, explaining their predicament to Graham and a strangely still and silent Little Red with down cast eyes. He wondered what Neverland would bring out in Emma? She'd bounced back quiet well from the barrage of 'misfortune' so far, ready to brave more obstacles for her son. His reasons were less noble but they were his and his resolve matched hers. He was so close to his revenge he thought, glancing down at Milah's name inked on his wrist. He'd been working three hundred years for this, if only he'd known it had been here this whole time it could have saved him so much trouble. But if he had know he'd have never met...

He looked back at her, blond hair draped over her shoulders, strong willowy figure fixed in that determined stance, watching the graceful gestures of her hands as she explained something to her companions. Emma continued to surprise him, like with her sudden onset of novice magic wielding abilities that he'd somehow had no time to question her about. He didn't think he'd learn much even if he did question her truthfully; she'd tell him nothing, he suspected she was as much a mystery to herself as she was to him. He wasn't fool enough to think Emma had feelings for him, he knew deep down she still didn't trust him – Peter's betrayal may have only worsened that conflict in her. Despite that fact there were two things he found he would not leave this island without, one was the weapon that was a means to his revenge and the other...

Killian watched Emma surprise Graham by throwing her arms around him in a heartfelt hug. He was marching in their direction before he could stop himself, blood already boiling with jealousy. He only barely stopped himself when she let him go to hug Red as well. He stood there, for a moment torn before he turned away, just in case anyone of them looked in his direction, hiding his livid confusion. What was this blinding jealousy suddenly twisting in him? He knew Graham was in love with Red, he had no reason for it. He scrubbed at his face with the palm of his hand, he had to get control of this.  
He stared at the oblivious Emma still hugging her friend before glancing back down at the tattoo of Milah's name.

"Would you forgive me this I wonder," he murmured.

* * *

"What kind of bribe?" Graham asked, sounding even less thrilled than Hook had about the up coming mermaid encounter. Emma had only met the one and it had saved her life, she was having a hard time making herself as wary as everyone else was of them. She wasn't sure how Red felt about mermaids as she had yet to say anything at all, or even look at her directly. Emma wasn't sure what to say to her either after the little row they'd had, it felt awkward.

"Apparently they like things of big personal value. I don't have things like that."

"Yeah, you never were very sentimental were you?" Graham smirked.

"My sentimentality is saved for people, not trinkets, right Red?" Emma asked, trying to pull her into the conversation. Neither were good at apologies, the best either could do was try to act like the slights hadn't happened, like all was forgiven. Red looked up at her name, examining Emma's expression for a second before giving a weak smile.

"Yeah, regular bleeding heart you are."

Emma returned the smile briefly, swallowing almost uneasily as she continued to her proposal.

"Thing is, as I've said, you need those trinkets as talismans to fend off Neverland's amnesic effect. So if you keep the talismans and me on track I think I have something to trade that'll get us all across the lagoon."

Graham looked confused. "You just said you don't have any personal trinkets."

"Mermaids are psychic creatures. I think it's possible to... to give them a memory."

Red and Graham stared at her blankly, Emma kept her expression as neutral as possible.

"I've done it before, one of Henry should do," she finished nonchalantly. In reality it would kill her a little inside, but her memories were the only thing of value she'd ever really had; what could be more precious than that? She'd give up one memory for the chance of making more with Henry. If that didn't buy them all passage then she didn't know what would. Her friends just looked at each other, both nodded without saying a word as if they'd agreed on something.

"No," Graham said simply. He held up his wrist showing off the braided leather cuff he'd had for as long as Emma had known him, the one Hook had used to lure her to half cove port.

"My father made this for me..." he let his gaze linger on it, a mixture of fondness and a pang of sadness. Emma knew that was because his father had passed years ago.

"Graham no-"

"My cloak should cover any surviving expenses," Red cut her off, fingering the scarlet fabric between her fingers, the cloak that had earned her identity among friends and any pack she'd drifted through. She didn't want them to give these things up.

"Guys-"

"They should do nicely as bribes. Besides I think you've given enough memories for the good of others," Graham said calmly, crossing his arms, "Besides, Henry is worth it and our talismans will keep us on track for the journey there at least, we'll worry about the way back if we survive."

Emma was so stunned she couldn't move, they willingly gave up things so intrinsic to them just to help her; she didn't deserve friends like them. Emma launched herself forward without thinking and gave Graham a hug that clearly startled him.

"It's just leather and fabric," he said. They both knew that was bullshit as she let him go to wrap her arms around Red.

"Thank you. I don't know what else to say," Emma admitted hoarsely.

"Start with, I Emma am both honoured and awed by the greatness that is the flawless Little Red-"

"Hun," Graham sighed.

"Sorry – that is Red and Graham."

"She means anytime," Graham told her shaking his head. Emma let her go just as Hook called out to them.

"The sun may be virtually frozen in the sky but I assure you, the sand in the hourglass is slipping away."

Emma let go of Red and wiped at her eyes so quickly the movement was almost too quick to see before she turned to look in Killian's direction. He was so striking to her for some reason, tussled black hair and those intensely cerulean eyes; posture hinting at the muscular build hidden under all his leather. She suddenly had a vivid memory of walking in on him completely unclothed back on the ship and felt her face redden. Seriously, why the hell was she thinking about that now? Killian noticed her blush and raised a brow at her.

"Something the matter Swan?"

"I'm fine, lets move," she said quickly, marching after him as he began to lead the way. He reached inside his coat as she approached, slowing to walk next to her. He grabbed something clasped on the back of his belt and when his hand reappeared he was holding out a leather sheathed dagger with gold inlay to her.

"Can't have you walking about Neverland unarmed now can we?" he tsked. Emma eyed the offered blade as they walked to the edge of the beach once more but didn't reach for it.

"Weaponless," she corrected him, "I'm never unarmed."

"As you've aptly demonstrated, however if you'll look a little closer," he said, not retracting the dagger. Emma leaned a bit closer to examine it as indicated and was surprised to see the Evil Queen's royal seal.

"Smee found it on the ship. Who knows, Henry himself could have dropped it in the scuffle on the ship. It may double nicely as a talisman," he suggested. Emma was stunned by the gesture. Hook was no ordinary pirate true, but he didn't give anything for free and she already owed him a steep debt (that he was yet to mention.) Yet she couldn't turn it down, what if it had belonged to Henry? Even if it hadn't it was still a solid connection to him. Clever of Hook really, merely implying a possibilities. Another play get her to trust him? Or earn to just earn favour?

"_I think you know why I need you trust to trust me Emma..." _

Emma thought she might know, but she didn't think she'd be able to even trust herself soon - when it came down to the wire could she really trust him or him her? _Don't be a fool,_ y_ou can't love who you can't trust..._

"I'm not sure..." she trailed off, not certain if it would be enough to work as a talisman yet still wanting it. Hook let out an exasperated sigh.

"Take the damn dagger Swan."

Emma pursed her lips, why was she over thinking this, it was just a damn knife! Carefully accepting the weapon from him, unsheathing it to find it was the epitome of sharp; she quickly tested its weight to find it evenly balanced, a high quality steel, she was impressed. He seemed pleased by her reaction. She waited for him to tell her the price with that mischievous smirk of his, but he didn't give her one.

"I'll give it back when we're through this," she assured him, fixing it onto her own belt. Curiously he frowned.

"Don't bother," he said, stepping into the tall grass as he led the way. Perhaps she wasn't over thinking things.

* * *

"I admit, I'm nervous about Neverland's influences," Graham admitted to Red as he watched Emma walk ahead of them with Hook, Red noticing Smee coming behind them to take up the rear at the same time.

"Come on, goodie two shoes like you? You'll be fine lover."

Red ignored his annoyed look, shrugging as she continued on. "And me? not much to amplify honestly, I don't really hide or overtly control myself very much except for-" Red abruptly stopped talking, making him look to her curiously and seeing she had paled a bit.

"Red?"

"Come on, lets not fall behind," she said, pulling up her hood and making quickly after Emma and Hook into the tall grass.

* * *

Emma walked behind Hook as he lead them deeper into Neverland, guiding them to their dangerous destination. She found it strange to follow someone else through a forest, found she disliked not being the leader actually and wondered how anyone else did it. Smee was chatting with Graham behind her, giving his opinion on everything from sailing to foods. Turns out Neverland turned the normally quiet Smee into a rabid conversationalist. The hooded Red had chosen to silently take up the rear, face obscured from them all. Emma would have been more worried about her if she wasn't so... distracted. So far she'd been averting her rather new and annoying... impulse by trying to enamour herself with her new surroundings. She focused on the air as they marched on through tall grass and strange trees, overwhelmed with rich scents and its warm caress on her skin. The light of a sun moving so slow it felt eternal sparking the motes of dust even more brightly than before, painting the shrubbery with rich oranges and yellows and somehow making the normally green leaves look greener, bleaching the tall grass almost pure white. She even tried to focus on the satisfying sensation of rich soil crunching under her feet but eventually, as it had been doing for some time now, her gaze seemed to find Hook as he strode along in front of her. Emma had caught herself reaching out to touch him. Twice.

For some reason Neverland was making her desperate for... touch? She'd begun bunching her fists into tight balls to fight the urge. Emma now had her hands clutched so tightly her nails were leaving crescent moon indents in her palms, threatening to draw blood. She wondered if Killian's hair was as soft as it looked? How warm his skin would be on hers? She remembered his lips had been a tantalizing mixture of both-

Emma bit her lip so hard she thought it might bleed, what the hell was _wrong_ with her? It only got worse, every now and then he would look over his shoulder back at her and she would immediately look away so he wouldn't catch her staring at him. Her skin burned for touch, a hollow ache had grown so acute in her chest she felt it like a real physical pain. Before she'd realized it she had sped her pace up until she was matching Hook stride for stride. He looked up at her and gave her one of those smirks as if he knew why she was there, she felt her heart beating in her throat at the thought.

"Can't stand not leading the charge, huh darling?"

He thought she was coming closer because she didn't like following? Thank God.

"What can I say, not all it's cracked up to be," she said, trying her best to sound casual. If she could just direct the urge in some harmless way perhaps it would ease the need. Her brain told her almost immediately that was a bad idea, she should have listened. Emma patted him on the back as if she did it all the time.

"Hows the rib?" she asked. The slight warmth of the leather stretched taunt across his back seemed to both impossibly ease the need and make it even worse. She saw how he noted the touch but thankfully did not comment on it.

"To borrow a favourite of yours, it's fine," he assured her.

"Oh, good." Emma knew she was playing with fire when his answer only barely registered. She should back away from him. She should keep her distance to help her keep her hands to herself. For some reason she couldn't make herself fall back from him, telling herself to wait for the chance for one more quick brush of physical contact.

"Thanks," she found herself blurting to keep their conversation going. He raised an eyebrow at her, knowing full well how she felt about giving him any thanks.

"For what?"

_This is hell, just touch his hair_. She wracked her brain and suddenly she found she had a legitimate reason to give thanks to him, managing to sober her mind briefly.

"Taking a trip down memory lane with you?" Killian supplied before she could speak. Emma was almost surprised that was what he thought she was thanking him for, still not mentioning that he'd saved Henry's life. She went with it however and nodded seriously; that had been a great deal of help as well after all.

"When the weight of a kind word might break you, memory lane... can be a nice reprieve; even the ugly streets," she told him with a sigh. Killian thought this was the closest he'd come to a genuine thanks from her in what felt like eons. Unfortunately he wasn't in the right head space to be dealing with anything too genuine this deep into Neverland.

"Very eloquent Swan, you should write that down," he smirked. He saw her eyes widen like she couldn't believe he'd just said that to her. He winked and she let out a short bark of laughter.

"Look who's talking, revenge is a chain, anger is famine – teach you all that fancy talk in noble school?" she asked, ribbing him almost good naturedly.

"Never underestimate the seductive power of a decent vocabulary," he purred.

"Ah yes, the age old lure of higher education – better flirting techniques."

He laughed and that also seemed somehow different to her, though she still couldn't put her finger on why exactly. It sounded almost boisterous.

"Forgive me, but I find an education crack rich coming from a princess."

"Yeah well, I can't even remember those days," she replied, almost sighing.

"It shows," Killian told her.

"God you're an asshole sometimes." And he was, even though there was still a thread of amusement in her voice.

"I make up for it with irresistible charm."

Emma's brows drew together with mock confusion.

"But you're not charming," she answered innocently, giving a half hearted try at their old banter. He smirked in reply; _A__tta girl _he thought. Emma surprised him when she reached forward and plucked at a twig in his hair, her touch lingering for a moment before she pulled her hand back and made a show of throwing it away. Her face reddened when he continued to look at her, he found it only made her that much more attractive.

"Twig," she explained, somewhat unnecessarily. His gaze fell on her lips at her words and she turned one more flattering shade of red when he did. Quite suddenly the only thing he could think of was the first time he'd kissed her, really kissed her. Normally he would have made some attempt to calculatingly seduce her into another, hiding how much he wanted her. Neverland had taken that ability from him and before he could think twice he was leaning in to her. For one brief moment he thought she was going to let him, that he'd get to taste her lips with his own one more time...

Before he could make it all the way to her Emma's hand came up and stopped him, palm cupped against his lips and chin.

"What are you doing?" she demanded a little breathlessly. He pulled back from her proximity and the touch of her hand at the question, feeling flustered and unable to control it. Where normally he would have been quick enough to cover it all with a dashing smile and a few charming cheeky words his brain stuttered and he said the first lie on his mind.

"Nothing." Killian fucking hated Neverland. Her hand was still outstretched when he looked away from her, trying his damnedest to appear aloft as he stared straight ahead. Emma seemed to be struggling with herself as if forcing herself to lowered her arm back down to her side. There was a moment of silence between them for a few painful seconds.

"I'm just... gonna..."

"Yes of course," Hook agreed quickly, wishing immediately he hadn't as Emma began falling back a few steps from him. That had been boarder line disastrous she thought letting the space between them grow. His lips against her hand had nearly made rip that leather coat of his off him and who knows what the hell would have happened then - Emma had to get this under control.

She was so concentrated on putting space between her and Hook right then she didn't think about the people behind her. So when Smee, still blathering on to Graham, bumped into her he startled her so bad she actually yelped. Hook turned so fast at the sound that his coat flared, drawing his cutlass in the same lightning fast movement. Smee held up both hands almost instantly, already apologizing furiously.

"Sorry Ms. Swan! So sorry!"

Emma had been so startled she found she'd stopped focusing on her hands and immediately they were both on Smee's shoulders like they were magnetized to him. The contact was soothing in the oddest way, not sexual but comforting, making the aching in her skin subside slightly. There was no reason to be holding his shoulders so she pretended to be making sure he was steady as an excuse to stay off that aching for just a few more seconds...

"It's fine, you alright?" she asked, knowing already he was fine. Smee looked at Emma's hands like they were tarantula's before glancing nervously at Hook. Emma followed his gaze she saw Killian's still had his sword drawn, jaw tight and glare threateningly fixed on Smee.

"It's alright!" she said louder to Hook, trying retake control of her hands. She saw Graham looking oddly between them all and it was just enough for her to force her hands back to her sides again, grabbing a handful of her pants to keep them there. The air felt charged for some reason and Emma wasn't entirely certain as to why.

"Mr. Smee, kindly watch where you're going," Hook told his first mate, slowly sliding his sword back into the sheath at his side, the sound almost better than a threat.

"Of course captain," Smee said quickly. Hook turned with some difficulty and kept walking.

"What the hell is his deal?" Emma asked Smee when she was sure Killian wouldn't hear her, confused by the severity of his mood swing.

"What does Neverland bring out in him?" Smee seemed to be getting his breath back enough to answer her.

"Everything," he answered.

"Try not to be too specific," Graham commented dryly.

"You alright?" Emma asked as she watched him take off his red cap and wipe at the fop sweat that had broken out on his brow.

"As good as one can be in Neverland heading to Worlds Mouth with my captain."

"How good is that?" Graham asked.

"Not very considering I think we're all going to die." His hand shot up to cover his mouth as if the words had left his lips without permission.

"Forgive me, Neverland's bloody influence runs my mouth a bit," he apologized quickly moving past Emma to follow behind his captain, leaving Graham and her to walk next to each other alone.

"Only a bit?" Graham said to her, rolling his eyes. She chuckled as they resumed walking as well, Graham glancing down at Emma white knuckling her pants.

"How you doing?"

"Just fine, how's Red?"

Graham gave her a look so she knew he thought her answer was pure bullshit before glancing back at the scarlet hood that was maintaining its measure distance at the rear.

"I tried to ask but she just told me that the desire she hid in her heart was, and I quote, 'being left the fuck alone,' so I'm not sure. Keeping an eye on her though," he assured her. Emma only took about half of his words in, too busy struggling with herself to really listen.

"How are you doing?" she asked, desperately trying to focus herself. Graham shrugged as if a bit puzzled.

"I don't know, normal I guess?"

"Is it really normal to feel normal right now? Cause I don't feel normal," Emma confided at last.

"I don't know, maybe I'm just not as repressed as all of you. Can we talk?" he asked seriously, something obviously on his mind.

"Only if you hold my hand," she told him after a pause. Graham's eyes widened like she'd just asked him to preform a magical feat for her.

"Beg your pardon?"

Emma squeezed her eyes shut as they walked, too embarrassed to look at him as she confessed how she was being affected by this damn island.

"I feel like if I don't get some physical contact I'm either going to grope someone in our group or die – for the love of god Graham, hold my hand."

He stared at her for a brief moment before looking back over his shoulder at Red trailing behind them, then he finally held out his hand for her. Emma grabbed his hand, surprising herself by using the other hand to pull his arm into an embrace and press her cheek into his shoulder. The relief was overwhelming, like cool water putting out the aching burn for touch in her arms and hands, the pain in her chest ebbing somewhat. It wasn't filled with tension like it was with Hook, it was more comforting than... ravenous.

"Thank you," Emma sighed, even while feeling idiotic for clutching at him, "I really hate this place."

"Not alone there," he agreed.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Peter."

Emma felt her expression grow distant, last thing she wanted to talk about, let alone think about right now.

"Sore subject right now Graham."

"I know but this is important... I think he might not have been the only spy."

That certainly managed to fully snare her attention.

"What makes you say that?"

He lowered his voice as he explained, "Because honestly? My first theory was Smee, and I feel like that theory still holds weight."

Emma glanced ahead of them to see the red capped sailor conversing with Hook.

"Him?" Emma never would have pegged Smee for a traitor, he seemed pretty devoted. Then again she never would have pegged Peter for a spy either.

"Why?" she asked simply.

"Something's been bugging me about him for a while now, back when Hook was tagged by the Queen's curse when we all ran in, Peter tried to grab Hook and Smee tried to stop him."

"So?" Emma asked pulling her head of his shoulder to look at him. His hazel brown eyes met hers.

"So how did he know what would happen if Peter touched him?"

* * *

Hook was trying to keep his focus as broad as possible, wary of the dangers lurking on the long route to Worlds Mouth. His whole life he'd prided himself on being able to control his feelings, to hide them so no one knew how he truly felt. As a pirate it had saved his life a few times, now on a simple trek Neverland had taken that control from him. He'd actually been nervous to glance back at Emma, in case his eyes revealed something to her – she was after all very perceptive. However the few times he'd allowed himself to look back he'd been both pleased and amused to find her quickly looking away, as if she hadn't been staring. Then the near disaster when they'd spoke had passed and now he dared not even glance at her. Then Smee had bumped her and he found himself almost dangerously cross with Smee for doing so; he was surprised by his own reaction to when he'd thought for a brief moment she was in danger, after all he knew how capable she was. He looked down at Milah's name on his wrist. Revenge, he had to keep that goal in mind now more than ever, he had to remember his job was to deal with all threats to that goal. He had one worry that had been at the back of his mind for some time now, and he was most effective at organizing his thoughts with a sounding board.

"Mr. Smee." His first mate sped his gate to match his captain's stride.

"Yes captain?"

"What do you make of the Little Red?" Hook asked. Smee looked caught off guard by the question but answered dutifully.

"Pretty, overly blunt, merciless and vicious but generally playful at heart, why?"

"I've been thinking about Peter, some of the accusations of him aren't sitting quite right. I'm not doubting he was a spy mind you," his eyes darkened in that unsettling way that made Smee instantly more tense in Neverland.

"Rather that he was the only one."

"And you think it might be their Red?" Smee asked, sounding surprised,"Pardon me captain but that seems very unlikely, she outed Peter."

"We knew there was a spy and she gave us one. I find it very convenient that, after a few months absence from her friends, she showed up in Half Cove Port precisely when the Evil Queen's forces did." It wasn't rock solid true, but it was in no way flimsy enough for him to ignore.

"Keep this to yourself William, and an eye on her until we know for sure; I won't be taken in again."

* * *

"I can't help but think he may have planted that curse," Graham told her, "he had the most access, Peter didn't have time."

Emma thought about that for a moment.

"Honestly Graham it's pretty thin to base an accusation on but not thin enough to dismiss completely. Lets just keep our eye on him," she said, putting her cheek back against his arm and squeezing his hand.

"We'll know for sure when we get the weapon."

Emma felt him shift at the mention of the whole reason for this quest, as if he wanted to ask her something.

"That's another thing I wanted to talk to you about," he admitted, "what is this weapon?"

Emma felt an old frustration crop up at that question. Not with Graham of course but rather that she still didn't have an answer. She wished the curtains in her head would pull back at last to show her the full picture that had been painted for her, she hated how blindly she led her friends into danger.

"I don't know," she told him honestly. She almost heard him frown, like he didn't believe her.

"Come on Emma, I've been trusting you on this since the beginning because that's what you needed, but I'm about to give up the only remaining reminder I have of my father, I think I deserve to know what I'm sacrificing it for."

Emma felt her guts twist at the mention of that. He did deserve to know, him and Red both; unfortunately that didn't matter because Emma still didn't know.

"I swear Graham, I really don't know." She pulled her head from his shoulder once more to meet his look of utter disbelief. She felt his grip loosening on her hand.

"You have got to be kidding me - you've lead us all the way here and you don't even know what we're looking for?"

"It's complicated, I was told where to look, that's all."

"By who?" he asked, as if the idea of Emma taking them all this far simply on the say so of a stranger totally insane. Emma would have agreed with him completely had it been anyone else but Rumplstiltskin, the Dark One himself. She may not have understood why but Emma knew he wanted the demise of the Evil Queen almost as badly as the rest of them did. She tried to tell him all that but when she opened her mouth no words came out. The impulse to keep Rumple's involvement secret was pressing on her so heavily it boggled her mind. She tried to press it down as she had before but the more she tried the less she seemed able to speak.

"I... I can't tell you that."

Graham just stared at her, like he couldn't believe that even with what he was willing to give for her she still wouldn't tell him.

"Did you tell Hook?" he asked, voice smoldering with the potential for a righteous anger. Emma dropped her gaze down to the ground and said nothing. In response Graham stopped walking, effectively halting her as well.

"You did didn't you?"

"Graham-"

"You trust a pirate, that has already stabbed you in the back once, more than me? I'm suppose to be your god damn best friend Emma, you've know _me_ for fucking _years_!" he almost yelled, voice boiling with anger. She kept trying to tell him who told her where to go as he spoke, trying to force out the assurance he wanted from her that she trusted him until she was choking on words the impulse wouldn't let her speak. She didn't see the buzzing lights above her giggling mischievously as they fluttered ahead and began trying to attract Hook's attention...

"Graham you are my best friend-" she tried when she couldn't get anything else out.

"Then how about you stop clinging to him like he's your lover?" a voice hissed behind them. Emma was startled to see Red standing just behind the two of them, her approach had been so quiet neither of them had heard her. Her hood remained up and her face obscured in the shadowy interior of it, only the amber eyes of her wolf burning like candles in her face visible. It made the soft steady growl emanating from her all the more menacing. Emma was instantly on edge as she finally put it together. The only thing Red had ever fought to control, the only thing Neverland could amplify, was the territorial wolf prowling inside her.

* * *

Hook swatted at the Pixies buzzing around his head as Smee showed his distaste for them with an annoyed grunt.

"Enough ladies," Hook snapped at them. But they continued until he could make out what they were chanting at him.

"_Look, look!"_

Curious he squinted at them to see they were pointing behind him. When he looked back he saw Emma clinging to Graham's arm. Before he even had a chance to react to _that_ he then watched as Graham rather cruelly shook her off him. It awoke something black inside him, something he couldn't even fathom controlling as he drew his blade for the third time that day...

* * *

Graham seemed to not see the signs of how close Red was to going full wolf and coldly shook Emma off him, so forcefully she stumbled back a little. She felt like she'd suddenly lost a limb with the sudden lack of contact, like there was nothing tethering her to the ground as the ache returned full force.

"It's alright Red there's no danger of that - apparently you have to be a back stabbing prick to make her list."

Emma felt like he'd slapped her, only it would have hurt a lot less if he had. Everything happened so fast after that Emma wasn't entirely sure of the order it all happened in. Smee shouted something like a warning just as Hook came upon Graham, driving the hilt of his sword against Graham's cheek and knocking him to the ground. Red snarled so loud it hurt Emma's ears as she lept to attack Hook, nails curling into claws. She didn't remember jumping between the two but next thing she knew her and Red were colliding mid air, tangling viciously into the bush as claws slashed at her and nearly opened her throat. They landed off the path in a heap, she heard something snap and felt something tighten around her leg like a vice. Whatever it was snagged Red and her both, yanking them so hard Red's cloak was torn right off her as they both were dragged mercilessly through the bush; away from Hook, Graham and Smee into the forest at an impossible speed. Emma tried to grab her leg and free herself from whatever had her. She felt a sharp pain at her temple, a rock on the ground maybe, and then everything went black.

* * *

Hook saw it just before Emma and Red landed in a tussle on it, the rope trap. It snagged them both as he heard the weight dropping from very far away. The rope went taunt and like the snap of a whip it dragged them out of sight.

"Emma!" he yelled, shooting off the path after her, leaving Smee kneeling to help up a hurt Graham. He knew it was a long complex trap, designed to drag prey back to waiting hunters very quickly. He tried to keep up but before he knew it they were gone from sight. He knelt down to quickly examine the tracks and make in that direction, trying to listen for them. He saw a bright flash of red amongst the green and his heart skipped as he dove towards it. His hope was dashed when he saw that It was only Red's cloak, both women long gone. He reached down and plucked the scarlet garment from the ground.

"Shit," he spat between clenched teeth. He turned at a noise and was at first incensed to see Graham, cheek swollen, had followed him in with Smee at his back. Killian managed not to bother with the anger, too overwhelmed with adrenalin at that moment. Graham's eyes were wide when he saw Hook holding Red's cloak, his bruises suddenly very stark as his face went pale.

"Red! Red where are you?!" he shouted, only his own voice echoing back at him in response. Graham's gaze seemed to catch on something on the ground and he reached down to pick it up. Hook's stomach clenched when he saw it was the knife he'd given Emma. His fear seized him so tightly he couldn't breathe, neither of them had their talisman's and they'd been taken; they'd both been taken.

"EMMA!"

**...**

**All bets? They're off by the way :)  
Thank you so much for reading you guys, think I've gotten my stride back. Much luvs to you all, you guys are the best!**


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